Unisex name · peaked 1918

Jessie

A diminutive of the female given name Jessica.

Every Jessie since 1880 — 281,367 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex — comparable across eras
2.557.51018801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys
Rank 2025
#824
among girls
Babies in 2025
456
named Jessie
Peak year
1918
5,003 babies
All-time total
281,367
since 1880

The story of Jessie

Jessie is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #824 in 2025 with 330 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 281,367 American babies have been named Jessie — about 60% girls and 40% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1918, when 5,003 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Jessie stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Jessie 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 330 #824 126 #1,431
2024 348 #809 156 #1,264
2023 355 #796 136 #1,373
2022 356 #794 182 #1,145
2021 356 #795 146 #1,299
2020 388 #719 155 #1,219
2019 417 #692 194 #1,055
2018 449 #658 178 #1,103
2017 453 #657 216 #961
2016 460 #642 247 #886
2015 471 #613 233 #919
2014 508 #587 284 #808
2013 479 #595 323 #723
2012 448 #639 340 #698
2011 408 #689 333 #696
2010 420 #683 407 #610
2009 425 #687 460 #575
2008 493 #625 488 #541
2007 499 #603 533 #497
2006 529 #558 546 #484
2005 507 #567 590 #443
2004 607 #484 571 #456
2003 618 #477 627 #410
2002 676 #432 653 #397
2001 611 #454 593 #419
2000 719 #400 533 #446
1995 1,138 #249 903 #294
1990 1,118 #252 1,255 #231
1985 1,111 #234 1,131 #213
1980 813 #303 1,098 #220
1975 392 #473 772 #257
1970 336 #553 729 #288
1965 474 #433 874 #252
1960 509 #434 932 #261
1955 747 #313 963 #230
1950 936 #245 1,021 #202
1945 1,107 #185 940 #175
1940 1,336 #158 1,019 #162
1935 1,619 #135 1,104 #140
1930 2,195 #114 1,329 #133
1925 2,951 #97 1,467 #123
1920 3,329 #84 1,590 #111
1915 3,356 #66 1,240 #114
1910 1,541 #63 516 #72
1905 1,315 #57 338 #74
1900 1,422 #53 398 #69
1895 1,300 #48 245 #79
1890 1,250 #43 241 #73
1885 952 #40 202 #81
1880 635 #36 154 #90

Famous people named Jessie

  1. Jessie Royce Landis Actor · 1896–1972
  2. Jessie J Singer · b. 1988
  3. Jessie Andrews Actor · b. 1992
  4. Jessie Ralph Actor · 1864–1944
  5. Jessie Cave Actor · b. 1987

Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Jessie mean?

A diminutive of the female given name Jessica.

How popular is the name Jessie in 2025?

Jessie ranked #824 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 330 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Jessie?

281,367 babies have been named Jessie in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Jessie most popular?

Jessie peaked in 1918, when 5,003 newborns received the name.

Is Jessie a boy or girl name?

Jessie is used for both: about 60% of babies named Jessie have been girls and 40% boys.

Is the name Jessie rising or falling?

Jessie is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Jessie?

Well-known people named Jessie include Jessie Royce Landis (actor), Jessie J (singer), Jessie Andrews (actor).

Names like Jessie

Compare Jessie with similar names →