Boy name · Hebrew
Jesse
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: possibly gift, or existenceJesse is a boy's name that comes from Hebrew and means "possibly gift, or existence". It is used in English and Dutch.
- Meaning
- Possibly gift, or existence
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #184 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Jesse
As a boy's name, Jesse comes from Hebrew and means "possibly gift, or existence". It is used in English and Dutch.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Jesse on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Jesse on 1 list.
“A Hebrew name often read as gift”
From Redneck names for boys, classic country boy names
How popular is Jesse?
- US rank in 2025
- #184
- 2,002 babies, 1,172 per million boys
- Best rank
- #26 in 1882
- Most babies: 10,443 in 1981
- Babies since 1880
- At least 432,428
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 5,480 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 4,729 per million |
| 1900s | 3,358 per million |
| 1910s | 2,441 per million |
| 1920s | 2,103 per million |
| 1930s | 1,792 per million |
| 1940s | 1,635 per million |
| 1950s | 1,318 per million |
| 1960s | 1,174 per million |
| 1970s | 2,718 per million |
| 1980s | 4,654 per million |
| 1990s | 3,788 per million |
| 2000s | 2,174 per million |
| 2010s | 1,324 per million |
| 2020s | 1,119 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #174 | #186 | #186 | #200 | #203 | #203 | #192 | #202 | #185 | #184 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Jesse
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- OscarPossibly deer friend (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- EstherPossibly star (Persian, girl)
- TheoGift of God (Greek, boy)
- AmeliaPossibly vigorous, brave (Germanic, girl)
- DoraGift (Greek, girl)
- DorotheaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- IsadoraGift of Isis (Greek, girl)
- MatthiasGift of God (Hebrew, boy)
- AilaniPossibly from Hawaiian ʻAilani, to rule as chief, or Aylín (Hawaiian, girl)
- AilanyVariant of Ailani, possibly Hawaiian, to rule as chief (Hawaiian, girl)
- ArlethVariant of Arlette, from Herleva, possibly army and legacy (Germanic, girl)
- AtlasPossibly enduring, from Greek tlao, to endure (Greek, boy)
- DoroteaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- EdenPossibly delight, pleasure (Hebrew, unisex)
- EudoraGood gift (Greek, girl)
Middle names for Jesse
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Hebrew
- AdamMan, humankind (Hebrew, boy)
- DavidBeloved one (Hebrew, boy)
- DanielGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
- NoahRest, repose (Hebrew, boy)
- EliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- GabrielGod is my strength (Hebrew, boy)
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- BenjaminSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
- JanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
- JonathanYahweh has given (Hebrew, boy)
- SamuelName of God (Hebrew, boy)
- SimonHe has heard (Hebrew, boy)
- AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
- AbelBreath (Hebrew, boy)
- BenSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- EthanFirm, enduring (Hebrew, boy)
- IbrahimFather of many nations (Hebrew, boy)
Jesse: common questions
What does the name Jesse mean?
Jesse comes from Hebrew and means "possibly gift, or existence". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Jesse a boy or girl name?
Jesse is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 72 girls and 2,002 boys in the US were named Jesse, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Jesse come from?
Jesse comes from Hebrew and means "possibly gift, or existence". Today it is used in English and Dutch.
How popular is the name Jesse?
Jesse ranked #184 in the US in 2025, with 2,002 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Jesse?
Names spelled like Jesse include Jens, José, Jensen, Jesús and Josué.
What middle names go with Jesse?
Middle names that flow well with Jesse include Ansel, Benedict, Harrison, Leland and Leopold. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.