Unisex nameCurrently #808 in the USFalling
Jessie
JESS-ee//ˈdʒɛsi//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19196 lettersStarts with J
Meaning & origin
Gift (short form of Jessica), or Scottish form of Janet
Jessie functions as a nickname for Jessica in most modern use, and historically was also a Scottish diminutive of Janet or Jean. Its friendly, easygoing sound has made it a well-used unisex choice for over a century.
Jessie's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Jessie |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 789 |
| 1881 | 804 |
| 1882 | 998 |
| 1883 | 985 |
| 1884 | 1,065 |
| 1885 | 1,154 |
| 1886 | 1,184 |
| 1887 | 1,194 |
| 1888 | 1,454 |
| 1889 | 1,403 |
| 1890 | 1,491 |
| 1891 | 1,346 |
| 1892 | 1,497 |
| 1893 | 1,430 |
| 1894 | 1,375 |
| 1895 | 1,545 |
| 1896 | 1,332 |
| 1897 | 1,425 |
| 1898 | 1,511 |
| 1899 | 1,342 |
| 1900 | 1,820 |
| 1901 | 1,347 |
| 1902 | 1,563 |
| 1903 | 1,482 |
| 1904 | 1,510 |
| 1905 | 1,653 |
| 1906 | 1,570 |
| 1907 | 1,700 |
| 1908 | 1,737 |
| 1909 | 1,753 |
| 1910 | 2,057 |
| 1911 | 2,050 |
| 1912 | 2,744 |
| 1913 | 3,233 |
| 1914 | 3,809 |
| 1915 | 4,596 |
| 1916 | 4,683 |
| 1917 | 4,826 |
| 1918 | 5,003 |
| 1919 | 5,003 |
| 1920 | 4,919 |
| 1921 | 4,742 |
| 1922 | 4,773 |
| 1923 | 4,478 |
| 1924 | 4,607 |
| 1925 | 4,418 |
| 1926 | 4,402 |
| 1927 | 4,319 |
| 1928 | 3,841 |
| 1929 | 3,587 |
| 1930 | 3,524 |
| 1931 | 3,197 |
| 1932 | 3,176 |
| 1933 | 2,887 |
| 1934 | 2,882 |
| 1935 | 2,723 |
| 1936 | 2,598 |
| 1937 | 2,592 |
| 1938 | 2,448 |
| 1939 | 2,454 |
| 1940 | 2,355 |
| 1941 | 2,393 |
| 1942 | 2,394 |
| 1943 | 2,413 |
| 1944 | 2,250 |
| 1945 | 2,047 |
| 1946 | 2,193 |
| 1947 | 2,208 |
| 1948 | 2,166 |
| 1949 | 2,053 |
| 1950 | 1,957 |
| 1951 | 1,929 |
| 1952 | 1,912 |
| 1953 | 1,971 |
| 1954 | 1,753 |
| 1955 | 1,710 |
| 1956 | 1,735 |
| 1957 | 1,699 |
| 1958 | 1,606 |
| 1959 | 1,545 |
| 1960 | 1,442 |
| 1961 | 1,420 |
| 1962 | 1,385 |
| 1963 | 1,304 |
| 1964 | 1,318 |
| 1965 | 1,347 |
| 1966 | 1,377 |
| 1967 | 1,171 |
| 1968 | 1,037 |
| 1969 | 1,097 |
| 1970 | 1,065 |
| 1971 | 1,117 |
| 1972 | 1,073 |
| 1973 | 1,105 |
| 1974 | 1,108 |
| 1975 | 1,164 |
| 1976 | 1,271 |
| 1977 | 1,418 |
| 1978 | 1,539 |
| 1979 | 1,744 |
| 1980 | 1,911 |
| 1981 | 2,462 |
| 1982 | 2,472 |
| 1983 | 2,050 |
| 1984 | 2,088 |
| 1985 | 2,242 |
| 1986 | 2,395 |
| 1987 | 2,385 |
| 1988 | 2,243 |
| 1989 | 2,280 |
| 1990 | 2,373 |
| 1991 | 2,292 |
| 1992 | 2,144 |
| 1993 | 2,191 |
| 1994 | 2,238 |
| 1995 | 2,041 |
| 1996 | 1,855 |
| 1997 | 1,599 |
| 1998 | 1,386 |
| 1999 | 1,321 |
| 2000 | 1,252 |
| 2001 | 1,204 |
| 2002 | 1,329 |
| 2003 | 1,245 |
| 2004 | 1,178 |
| 2005 | 1,097 |
| 2006 | 1,075 |
| 2007 | 1,032 |
| 2008 | 981 |
| 2009 | 884 |
| 2010 | 825 |
| 2011 | 741 |
| 2012 | 788 |
| 2013 | 802 |
| 2014 | 792 |
| 2015 | 704 |
| 2016 | 707 |
| 2017 | 669 |
| 2018 | 627 |
| 2019 | 611 |
| 2020 | 543 |
| 2021 | 499 |
| 2022 | 538 |
| 2023 | 490 |
| 2024 | 504 |
Jessie through the decades
- Jessie peaked in 1919, when 5,003 babies were named Jessie in the US.
- The 1920s were Jessie's strongest decade, averaging 4,409 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Jessie has fallen 35% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Jessie currently ranks #808 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
Jess
Variants & spellings
Jessy