Jesse
Girl name · #2459 in 2025 · Uniqueness 68/100
In 2025, 72 baby girls were named Jesse, placing it at #2459 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2646, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 25,000 girls born in 2025 was named Jesse.
The 145-year story
Jesse first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1981, when 380 girls were named Jesse — good for #517 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Jesse per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jesse against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jesse in class?
Jesse scores 68 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Jesse will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Jesse is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jesse is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Jesses were TX (8), CA (7), FL (5), GA (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Jesse
Statistically, parents drawn to Jesse tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jessi, Kayce, Lacie, Alyse, and Jacklyn.
JessiKayceLacieAlyseJacklynKassieJustineJanna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jesse | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 72 | #2458 |
| 2024 | 73 | #2462 |
| 2023 | 72 | #2466 |
| 2022 | 52 | #3123 |
| 2021 | 69 | #2533 |
| 2020 | 65 | #2597 |
| 2019 | 59 | #2814 |
| 2018 | 82 | #2238 |
| 2017 | 76 | #2384 |
| 2016 | 67 | #2617 |
| 2015 | 67 | #2646 |
| 2014 | 73 | #2469 |
| 2013 | 70 | #2533 |
| 2012 | 80 | #2336 |
| 2011 | 81 | #2298 |
| 2010 | 108 | #1873 |
| 2009 | 108 | #1934 |
| 2008 | 120 | #1808 |
| 2007 | 117 | #1815 |
| 2006 | 122 | #1709 |
| 2005 | 173 | #1290 |
| 2004 | 181 | #1225 |
| 2003 | 172 | #1227 |
| 2002 | 190 | #1107 |
| 2001 | 195 | #1087 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Jesse a popular girl name?
Jesse ranked #2459 among girls in 2025 with 72 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2646.
When was the name Jesse most popular?
Jesse peaked in 1981, when 380 American girls received the name (ranked #517 that year). Since 1981 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jesse?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 25,000 newborn American girls was named Jesse. It scores 68/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.