NameRealm
Jess

Jess: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“he sees”
Origin
Hebrew
Say it
JESS · 1 syllable
Used for
Boys (98% of all uses)

Usually a short form of Jessica or Jesse. As an independent given name its etymology depends on the full form, but Jess is commonly treated as linked to Jesse, from Hebrew Yishai. The origin of this name is not settled among etymologists.

English namesShort names

How popular is Jess?

20248.7 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Jess in 202429

2024 rank#4,553 boys

Peak year1882

Total US babies since 188025,522

Jess is steady now but far below its 1882 peak.

Names like Jess

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • JessicaGod beholds · Hebrew
  • JessieGod beholds · Hebrew
  • JessaGod beholds · Hebrew
  • JessikaGod beholds · Hebrew
  • Noahrest; comfort · Hebrew
  • Jamessupplanter · Hebrew
  • Elijahmy God is Yahweh · Hebrew
  • JohnYahweh is gracious · Hebrew

Jess questions

What does the name Jess mean?

Jess means "he sees". It comes from Hebrew. Usually a short form of Jessica or Jesse. As an independent given name its etymology depends on the full form, but Jess is commonly treated as linked to Jesse, from Hebrew Yishai.

Is Jess a boy or girl name?

Jess is mainly a boy's name in US records (98% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Jess?

29 US babies were named Jess in 2024. Its peak year was 1882.

How do you pronounce Jess?

Jess is usually pronounced JESS.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.