Jessi
Jessi is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Jessi
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jessi is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Jessi
As a girl name
American parents first put Jessi on the record books as a girl name in 1959, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1981, when 273 Jessis were born — ranking #646 that year. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 30% of all recorded Jessis. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,396 among girl names with 46 births, falling sharply (-23%). In total, more than 7K Jessis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Jessi as a boy name dates back to 1970, when 5 babies received it. 1994 was its biggest year on record, with 67 newborns named Jessi — #1,434 in the national rankings. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 36% of all recorded Jessis. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 1K Jessis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Jessi
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Jessi. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Jessi
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jessi is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jessi
What does the name Jessi mean?
What is the origin of the name Jessi?
How popular is Jessi in 2026?
When was Jessi most popular?
In which U.S. states is Jessi most popular?
Is Jessi a unisex name?
What names go well with Jessi?
What are nicknames or variants of Jessi?
About the name Jessi
Jessi is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1959 and has accumulated 7K births in the dataset. Jessi's peak popularity came in 1981 when it ranked #646. Use the chart and map above to compare Jessi's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1981 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.