Jessica
Say it: JESS-ik-a/ˈd͡ʒɛsɪkə/
GirlMeans probably "he will see"7 letters3 syllables
#141
in Ireland (2025)
32
babies in 2025
#12
best rank (1995)
9,306
babies since 1966
Down 103
10-year rank change
Jessica through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | #141 |
| 2024 | 40 | #117 |
| 2023 | 49 | #103 |
| 2022 | 86 | #63 |
| 2021 | 90 | #67 |
| 2020 | 91 | #59 |
| 2019 | 123 | #48 |
| 2018 | 127 | #43 |
| 2017 | 150 | #38 |
| 2016 | 131 | #48 |
| 2015 | 160 | #38 |
| 2014 | 173 | #32 |
| 2013 | 215 | #28 |
| 2012 | 236 | #29 |
| 2011 | 246 | #31 |
| 2010 | 245 | #30 |
| 2009 | 257 | #27 |
| 2008 | 304 | #22 |
| 2007 | 298 | #21 |
| 2006 | 322 | #20 |
| 2005 | 311 | #20 |
| 2004 | 264 | #23 |
| 2003 | 292 | #19 |
| 2002 | 302 | #17 |
| 2001 | 262 | #20 |
| 2000 | 260 | #21 |
| 1999 | 227 | #23 |
| 1998 | 233 | #19 |
| 1997 | 301 | #19 |
| 1996 | 311 | #19 |
| 1995 | 362 | #12 |
| 1994 | 286 | #16 |
| 1993 | 309 | #16 |
| 1992 | 290 | #18 |
| 1991 | 248 | #22 |
| 1990 | 229 | #21 |
| 1989 | 144 | #44 |
| 1988 | 149 | #46 |
| 1987 | 144 | #54 |
| 1986 | 140 | #57 |
| 1985 | 103 | #76 |
| 1984 | 102 | #78 |
| 1983 | 111 | #74 |
| 1982 | 114 | #78 |
| 1981 | 72 | #111 |
| 1980 | 76 | #106 |
| 1979 | 94 | #88 |
| 1978 | 56 | #130 |
| 1977 | 26 | #200 |
| 1976 | 20 | #222 |
| 1975 | 26 | #195 |
| 1974 | 12 | #277 |
| 1973 | 14 | #262 |
| 1972 | 15 | #237 |
| 1971 | 5 | #383 |
| 1970 | 6 | #326 |
| 1969 | 4 | #393 |
| 1968 | 4 | #357 |
| 1967 | 4 | #354 |
| 1966 | 3 | #380 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Jessica mean?
Probably "he will see"
First used by Shakespeare, probably from the Hebrew name Iscah.
Say it right
JESSika
The story of Jessica
Jessica first appears in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, as the name of Shylock’s daughter. Shakespeare probably took it from Iscah, a minor figure in the Book of Genesis, whose name is usually explained as “he will see” or “he will look”. Many people have since taken Jessica to be a longer form of Jessie, but that is a later, popular link. The name stayed rare for a long time and only became common across the English-speaking world from the 1970s.
In Ireland Jessica first reached the CSO list in 1966 and rose quickly through the 1980s. Its best year was 1995, when 362 girls were named Jessica and it reached number 12. It has fallen away since, to number 141 in 2025. It was even more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached 4th in 2008.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Jessica (English proper noun)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
JessJessie
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Jessica | 32 | 9,306 |
In Northern Ireland
#96 in 2025 with 21 babies. Best rank #4 (2008); 3,333 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.