Jessica
First used by William Shakespeare in Merchant of Venice in the early 17th century, probably from Hebrew יִסְכָּה (yiská, “Iscah in Genesis 11:29, Jescha in the Wycliffe…
Every Jessica since 1880 — 1,054,307 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Jessica
Jessica is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #665 in 2025 with 424 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 1,054,307 American babies have been named Jessica. Its peak came in 1987, when 56,235 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Jessica stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Jessica year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 424 | #665 | — | — |
| 2024 | 527 | #575 | — | — |
| 2023 | 550 | #550 | — | — |
| 2022 | 620 | #508 | — | — |
| 2021 | 656 | #477 | — | — |
| 2020 | 780 | #399 | — | — |
| 2019 | 970 | #331 | — | — |
| 2018 | 1,065 | #313 | — | — |
| 2017 | 1,292 | #246 | — | — |
| 2016 | 1,392 | #231 | 5 | #13,126 |
| 2015 | 1,592 | #206 | — | — |
| 2014 | 1,804 | #179 | — | — |
| 2013 | 1,951 | #164 | — | — |
| 2012 | 2,335 | #137 | — | — |
| 2011 | 2,626 | #118 | 9 | #8,384 |
| 2010 | 3,200 | #92 | 6 | #11,399 |
| 2009 | 3,801 | #78 | 10 | #7,975 |
| 2008 | 4,739 | #59 | 6 | #11,748 |
| 2007 | 5,714 | #42 | 13 | #6,428 |
| 2006 | 6,815 | #32 | 10 | #7,691 |
| 2005 | 8,115 | #27 | 19 | #4,549 |
| 2004 | 9,470 | #21 | 35 | #2,922 |
| 2003 | 10,454 | #18 | 17 | #4,700 |
| 2002 | 11,921 | #16 | 22 | #3,854 |
| 2001 | 13,925 | #11 | 27 | #3,270 |
| 2000 | 15,711 | #8 | 27 | #3,181 |
| 1995 | 27,941 | #1 | 51 | #1,744 |
| 1990 | 46,486 | #1 | 140 | #867 |
| 1985 | 48,345 | #1 | 230 | #578 |
| 1980 | 33,924 | #3 | 126 | #780 |
| 1975 | 12,926 | #13 | 51 | #1,187 |
| 1970 | 4,021 | #98 | 15 | #2,442 |
| 1965 | 1,532 | #216 | 8 | #3,108 |
| 1960 | 556 | #408 | — | — |
| 1955 | 387 | #459 | — | — |
| 1950 | 402 | #400 | — | — |
| 1945 | 132 | #634 | — | — |
| 1940 | 61 | #918 | — | — |
| 1935 | 47 | #1,008 | — | — |
| 1930 | 38 | #1,222 | — | — |
| 1925 | 34 | #1,390 | — | — |
| 1920 | 43 | #1,161 | — | — |
| 1915 | 55 | #887 | — | — |
| 1910 | 28 | #821 | — | — |
| 1905 | 17 | #911 | — | — |
| 1900 | 23 | #770 | — | — |
| 1895 | 19 | #733 | — | — |
| 1890 | 18 | #627 | — | — |
| 1885 | 6 | #981 | — | — |
| 1880 | 7 | #705 | — | — |
Famous people named Jessica
- Jessica Lange Actor · b. 1949
- Jessica Tandy Actor · 1909–1994
- Jessica Alba Actor · b. 1981
- Jessica Biel Actor · b. 1982
- Jessica Chastain Actor · b. 1977
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jessica mean?
First used by William Shakespeare in Merchant of Venice in the early 17th century, probably from Hebrew יִסְכָּה (yiská, “Iscah in Genesis 11:29, Jescha in the Wycliffe version”), a proper name meaning "he will see/behold/look…
How popular is the name Jessica in 2025?
Jessica ranked #665 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 424 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Jessica?
1,054,307 babies have been named Jessica in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Jessica most popular?
Jessica peaked in 1987, when 56,235 newborns received the name.
Is Jessica a boy or girl name?
Jessica is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Jessica rising or falling?
Jessica is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Jessica?
Well-known people named Jessica include Jessica Lange (actor), Jessica Tandy (actor), Jessica Alba (actor).