Jessica Name Meaning
Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Jessica.
Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah Scott
The first recorded instance of the name Jessica is in William Shakespeare’s play "The Merchant of Venice" in which Jessica is the daughter of the Jewish moneylender Shylock. It is believed that Shakespeare created this name by anglicizing the spelling of the biblical name Iscah, which means “vision” or “sight” in Hebrew. The meaning of the name Jessica is also translated as "God beholds" or "wealthy."
Origin: Iscah is a minor figure in the Old Testament, mentioned only briefly as a sister of Lot and niece of Abraham. For the purposes of his play, Shakespeare changed it to Jessica.
Gender: Jessica is traditionally a feminine name. While boys have been named Jessica, it is relatively rare. The nearest masculine equivalent is Jesse.
Pronunciation: JESS-i-ka
Editor's Note
Although baby names are often separated by gender, Parents believes that sex need not play any role in your name selection process. It’s important to select the name that you feel best suits your new baby.
How Popular Is the Name Jessica?
Jessica was the #1 baby name for girls in America from 1985 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1995. Jessica was consistently in the top 10 from 1976 until the year 2000, a nearly quarter-century span in which Jessica was an exceptionally popular name.
The name Jessica remained a top-100 name for girls in the US until 2011. Since then, it has become decidedly less common, with Jessica ranking #508 in 2022 and 553 in 2023.
Name Variations
Sometimes alternate spellings are used, including Jesica, Jesika, Jessicah, Jessika, and Jessikah. In addition, the name Jessica takes some different forms in other languages:
Dzsesszika (Hungarian)
Gessica (Italian)
Iekika (Hawaiian)
Jéssica (Portuguese)
Jessika (German)
Xhesika (Albanian)
Yéssica (Spanish)
Yiskah (Hebrew)
Similar Names
Like the name Jessica, Jennifer—another J name—was extremely popular in the 1970s and 80s. Jennifer was the number one name for girls in America from 1970 to 1984. Jessica took over the top spot in 1985.
Jessica is one of several popular feminine names ending in "ica." Others include Angelica, Erica, Monica, and Veronica.
Other names that start with "J" include:
Jade
Jane
Janet
Jasmine
Jocelyn
Josie
Joy
Julia
Juliana
Common Nicknames for Jessica
If you're interested in nicknames for Jessica, you may think about Jess, Jessa, Jessie, or Jessy.
Suggested Sibling Names
Some possible sibling names for Jessica are:
Amanda
Ashley
Brittany
Christopher
David
Joshua
Matthew
Michael
Samantha
Famous People Named Jessica
Jessica Alba, American actress known for her role in the TV series Dark Angel
Jessica Biel, American actress and model who rose to prominence in the TV series 7th Heaven
Jessica Capshaw, American actress known for her role in Grey’s Anatomy
Jessica Chastain, American actress known for her roles in The Help and Zero Dark Thirty
Jessica Cornish, British singer-songwriter known as Jessie J
Jess Glynne, English singer-songwriter
Jessica Lange, American actress who won Academy Awards for her roles in Tootsie and Blue Sky
Jessica McClure, known in an media as “Baby Jessica,” fell into a backyard well in 1987 and was subsequently rescued
Jessica Meir, American astronaut who participated in the first all-female spacewalk
Jessica Seinfeld, American author and philanthropist, wife of the comedian Jerry Seinfeld
Jessica Simpson, American pop singer and actress
Jessica Sklar, American mathematician
Jessica Tandy (1909–1994), English-American actress who won an Academy Award for her role in Driving Miss Daisy
Jessica Upshaw (1959–2013), American politician and lawyer
Jessica Walter (1941–2021), American actress, known for her role as Lucille Bluth in Arrested Development
Jessica Zhu, Chinese-American pianist
Fictional Jessicas
Lady Jessica, a character in the Dune science-fiction novels
Jessica Davis, a character in the novel and Netflix series 13 Reasons Why
Jessica Day, the main character in the sitcom New Girl
Jessica Fletcher, the main character in the TV mystery series Murder, She Wrote
Jessica Jones, a superhero in the Marvel Universe
Jessica Lovejoy, a character in the television series The Simpsons
Jessica Rabbit, the human wife of Roger Rabbit in the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit
More Baby Names
If you're still searching for the perfect baby name, check out these related baby name lists for even more options:
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