Jessie is a name of Scottish origin, derived from the English form of the Hebrew name Jesse. The name Jesse means "God's promise" or "God sees." It is believed to have been brought to Scotland by returning Crusaders who had encountered it in the Holy Land.
The name Jessie was popularized by Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women, published in 1868. In the story, Jessie is one of the four March sisters and is portrayed as a thoughtful, independent, and adventurous young woman. The name gained further popularity with the release of the movie adaptation of Little Women in 1933.
Over time, Jessie has become a unisex name, although it was originally more commonly used for boys. Today, it is often used as a nickname for Jessica or other names beginning with the letter J.
Despite its Scottish origins and Hebrew roots, Jessie has been adopted by many cultures around the world. It is particularly popular in English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In Scotland, however, the name remains relatively uncommon compared to other Scottish names like Cameron or Fraser.
Based on the provided statistics, the name Jessie has seen a significant decrease in popularity over time in the United States.
From 1880 to around 1940, the number of births with the name Jessie remained relatively high and stable, fluctuating between approximately 900 to 1500 births per year. However, starting from the mid-20th century, there was a gradual decline in its popularity.
By the late 1960s, the annual number of births with the name Jessie fell below 800, and this trend continued into the 1970s and 1980s. Between 1990 and 2023, the popularity of the name Jessie has further declined, with fewer than 350 births per year on average.
In recent years, the name Jessie has become quite rare, with only 133 births recorded in 2023. In total, from 1880 to 2023, there were 111,035 births registered with the name Jessie in the United States.
Despite its decreased popularity as a given name, it is essential to note that Jessie remains an important historical name with a rich heritage and may still hold significant personal or familial meaning for many people.