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At a Glance: Name: Jessie – Meaning: no single fixed meaning — depending on derivation, either inherits Jane/Jean's meaning ('God is gracious, ' via John) or Jesse's uncertain Hebrew meaning, or is simply a nickname for Jessica – Origin: English (uncertain — possibly a pet form of Jane/Jean, or feminine form of/nickname for Jesse or Jessica, in Spanish also used as a nickname for Jesus) – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: JES-ee
Jessie is a name given to babies of any gender, pronounced JES-ee. Its roots are a bit tangled — it may have started as a pet form of Jane or Jean, or as a nickname for Jesse or Jessica, and in Spanish it's sometimes used as a nickname for Jesus. You may see it defined simply as 'God is gracious,' but that meaning actually belongs to John, not Jessie directly — other sources trace it instead to Jesse, whose own meaning is less certain, so there's no single settled answer.
Meaning & Origin of Jessie
Meaning: No single fixed meaning — depending on derivation, either inherits jane/jean's meaning ('god is gracious, ' via john) or jesse's uncertain hebrew meaning, or is simply a nickname for jessica.
Origin: English (uncertain — possibly a pet form of Jane/Jean, or feminine form of/nickname for Jesse or Jessica, in Spanish also used as a nickname for Jesus).
A common claim: 'God is gracious' (Hebrew) Actually: Often labeled simply 'God is gracious,' but that meaning belongs to John (via the Jane/Jean lineage some sources trace Jessie to); other sources treat Jessie as the feminine form of Jesse instead, with a different and less certain meaning — there's no single settled answer.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Jessie
Phonetic: JES-ee IPA: /ˈdʒɛsi/
Popularity of Jessie
Jessie hit its highest popularity back in 1881, ranking #35 with 661 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had fallen to #808, with just 348 babies named Jessie.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Jessie Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Jessie, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Jessie mean?
No single fixed meaning — depending on derivation, either inherits jane/jean’s meaning (‘god is gracious, ‘ via john) or jesse’s uncertain hebrew meaning, or is simply a nickname for jessica. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Jessie)
How do you pronounce Jessie?
Jessie is pronounced JES-ee (IPA: /ˈdʒɛsi/).
Is Jessie a popular name right now?
Jessie peaked at #35 in 1881 and is ranked #808 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Jessie? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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