Jesse

How to say it

/ˈdʒɛs.i/

What it means

Hebrew Yishai, possibly 'Yahweh exists' or 'gift.' Father of King David in the Old Testament; the 'Jesse tree' is a Christian iconographic device showing Jesus's lineage from Jesse through David.

Jesse comes from the Hebrew Yishai (Greek Iessai). The exact root is contested; common readings are 'Yahweh exists,' 'gift,' or 'wealthy.' In the Old Testament Jesse is the father of King David; the 'Tree of Jesse' is a medieval Christian iconographic motif showing Jesus's lineage traced through David back to Jesse, a common subject in stained-glass windows. The English Jesse was a Puritan favorite. Jesse James (the 19th-century outlaw), Jesse Owens (the 1936 Berlin Olympics sprinter), and Breaking Bad's Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) cover three very different cultural moments. The name has been in the US top 200 since the 1970s and is sliding now. Single short forms aren't common.

Heads-up notes

• Spelling

  Jesse is the dominant masculine spelling; Jessie is more often feminine (and a short for Jessica).

Who's worn it

Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.

• Jesse (Bible) Father of King David, root of the 'Tree of Jesse' iconography
• Jesse James 19th-century American outlaw, train robber
• Jesse Owens American sprinter, four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Spelling variants

• Jessie
• Yishai

Names with the same feeling

• Caleb Faithful, devotion
• Isaac He will laugh
• Samuel Heard by God
• Asher Happy, blessed
• Noah Rest, comfort

See Jesse from another angle