UK name, mostly girls
Jessie
A diminutive form of the Hebrew name Yehoshua, meaning "Jehovah is salvation".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Jessie is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Jessie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #351, with 125 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 303 births.
This profile covers 5,418 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 41% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 5,924 living people in the UK are called Jessie. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Jessie ranked #351 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 125 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 303 girls were registered as Jessie.
- • Jessie ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #288 in 2024.
- • About 5,924 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jessie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 96.5% of Jessie registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#351
2024
Births in 2024
125
Latest year
Peak year
2012
303 births
Estimated living
5,924
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Jessie
In England and Wales birth records, Jessie has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 3.5% of registrations are for boys and 96.5% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Jessie registered for boys
- Ranked #2,546 in 2023
- 8 boys registered in 2023
- Peak: 2007 (15 births)
Jessie registered for girls
- Ranked #351 in 2024
- 125 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2012 (303 births)
Meaning
What does Jessie mean?
The given name Jessie is a diminutive form of the Hebrew name Jesse, which is derived from the Hebrew word "Ishai" meaning "gift" or "present." The name Jesse first appeared in the Old Testament of the Bible as the name of the father of King David.
The name Jessie emerged as a feminine form of Jesse in the late 18th century, primarily used in English-speaking countries. It gained popularity in the Victorian era and was often associated with a spirited and adventurous personality.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Jessie was in the novel "The Vicar of Wakefield" by Oliver Goldsmith, published in 1766. In the book, Jessie is the name of a character who embodies the qualities of innocence and virtue.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jessie. Jessie Benton Frémont (1824-1902) was an American writer, activist, and the wife of explorer John C. Frémont. She played a significant role in promoting her husband's political career and was an advocate for women's rights.
Jessie Redmon Fauset (1882-1961) was an American novelist, poet, and editor who contributed significantly to the Harlem Renaissance literary movement. Her novel "There is Confusion" explored the complexities of race and identity in the early 20th century.
Jessie Ralph (1865-1944) was a Canadian-American actress known for her roles in films such as "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" and "The Corn is Green." She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the latter.
Jessie Willcox Smith (1863-1935) was an acclaimed American illustrator renowned for her illustrations in magazines and children's books. Her work captured the spirit of childhood and contributed significantly to the Golden Age of American illustration.
Jessie M. King (1875-1949) was a British illustrator and designer who collaborated with her husband, E. A. Taylor, on numerous book illustrations and decorative works. Her style was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement and featured intricate patterns and naturalistic elements.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jessie over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Jessie in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Jessie, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 125 births in 2024, compared with 303 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jessie by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jessie was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #332 | 677 | 5 |
| 2010s | #246 | 2,074 | 10 |
| 2000s | #232 | 2,006 | 10 |
| 1990s | #244 | 661 | 4 |
Geography
Where Jessie is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Jessie. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Jessie ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #288 in 2024.
Across the UK
Jessie in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#315 in 2024
43 years of NRS records, 393 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#288 in 2024
19 years of NISRA records, 146 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Jessie
-
Jessie Walker
sport cyclist
cyclist
1994-
-
Jessie Wallace
television actor
British actress
1971-
-
Jessie Tait
designer
British pottery designer (1928–2010)
1928-2010
-
Jessie Valentine
golfer
(1915-2006) Scottish amateur golfer
1915-2006
-
Jessie Robins
actor; film actor
British actress (1905–1991)
1909-1991
-
Jessie Wright
physician
American doctor (1900–1970)
1900-1970
-
Jessie Stephen
domestic worker; suffragette; journalist; trade unionist
British suffragette, labour activist and local councillor (1893–1979)
1893-1979
-
Jessie Winter
actor
British stage actress (1886–1971)
1885-1971
Related
Names similar to Jessie
- Jessica 105,041
- Jasmine 35,227
- Jade 19,646
- Julia 11,780
- Jennifer 11,529
- Jodie 9,357
- Jemima 6,454
- Josephine 5,889
- Josie 5,284
- Jasmin 4,706
- Jenna 4,646
- Joanna 4,037
FAQ
Jessie: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jessie in the UK right now?
In 2024, Jessie was ranked #351 for girls in England and Wales, with 125 births registered.
When was Jessie most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 303 babies registered as Jessie in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jessie?
A diminutive form of the Hebrew name Yehoshua, meaning "Jehovah is salvation".
How many people are called Jessie in the UK?
A total of 5,418 babies have been registered as Jessie across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 393 more in Scotland and 146 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Jessie most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Jessie ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #288 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.