Jessica (given name)

Jess
Jessi
Jessie
Jessyca
Jessicah

Jessica (originally Iessica, also Jesica, Jesika, Jessicah, Jessika, or Jessikah)^[1] is a female given name.

The oldest written record of the name with its current spelling is found as the name of the Shakespearean character Jessica, from the play The Merchant of Venice. The name may have been an Anglicisation of the biblical Iscah (from Hebrew: יִסְכָּה, romanized: yiskā́), the name of a daughter of Haran briefly mentioned in the Book of Genesis 11:29. Iscah was rendered "Iesca" (Jeska) in the Matthew Bible version available in Shakespeare's day.^[2]^[3]^[4] Alternately, Shakespeare might have derived the name as a feminine version of the name Jesse, or from the word jess, a thin leather strap used to tether a bird such as a falcon in falconry.^[5]

"Jessica" was the first- or second-most popular female baby name in the United States from 1981 to 1998^[6]^[7] before falling out of the Top 20 in 2004.^[8] It also rose to No. 1 in England and Wales in 2005,^[9] dropping to No. 3 in 2006.^[10] Common nicknames of the name Jessica include "Jess", "Jessi" and "Jessie".

People with the given name

Jessica Abel (born 1969), American comic book writer and artist
Jessica Adair (born 1986), American professional basketball player
Jessica Adolfsson (born 1998), Swedish ice hockey player
Jessica Aguilar (born 1982), Mexican-American mixed martial artist
Jessica Ainscough (1985–2015), Australian teen magazine editor who became a writer and wellness entrepreneur
Jessica Alba (born 1981), American actress
Jessica Alexander (born 1999), English actress and model
Jessica Allister (born 1982), American softball coach and former catcher
Jessica Alves (born 1983), Brazilian-British television personality
Jessica Amornkuldilok (born 1985), Thai model
Jessica Anderson (footballer) (born 1997), Australian rules footballer
Jessica Anderson (writer) (1916–2010), Australian novelist and short story writer
Jessica Andersson (born 1973), Swedish singer
Jessica Andrews (born 1983), American country music singer
Jessica Antiles (born 1996), American swimmer
Jessica-Jane Applegate (born 1996), British Paralympic swimmer
Jessica Backhaus (born 1970), German photographer
Jessica Bäckman (born 1997), Swedish racing driver
Jessica Baglow (born 1989), English actress
Jessica Balogun (born 1988), German professional boxer
Jessica Barden (born 1992), English actress
Jessica Barth, American actress
Jessica Barson, American neuroscientist and associate professor
Jessica Barter, New Zealand architect
Jessica Beinecke, American educator, entertainer, videographer and online personality in China
Jessica Bejarano, American conductor
Jessica Bendinger (born 1966), American screenwriter and novelist
Jessica Benham, American politician and disability rights activist
Jessica Benjamin, psychoanalyst
Jessica Berscheid (born 1997), Luxembourgish footballer
Jessica-Bianca Wessolly (born 1996), German sprinter
Jessica Bibby (born 1979), Australian sportswoman
Jessica Biel (born 1982), American actress and model
Jessica Bird (born 1996), American novelist
Jessica Blank, American actress, writer, and director
Jessica Blaszka (born 1992), Dutch wrestler
Jessica Boehrs (born 1980), German actress and singer
Jessica Bonilla (born 1996), Mexican female road and track cyclist
Jessica Boone (born 1984), American film, television, theatre, and voice actress
Jessica Borthwick (1888–1946), British filmmaker and sculptor
Jessica Brody, American author
Jessica Brown Findlay (born 1989), English actress
Jessy Bulbo (born 1974), Mexican singer, bassist and composer
Jessica Burciaga (born 1983), American model
Jessica Caban (born 1982), American model, dancer and actress
Jessica Cambensy (born 1988), American-born Hong Kong model and actress
Jessica Capshaw (born 1976), American actress
Jessica Care Moore (born 1971), American poet
Jessica Caro (born 1988), Colombian footballer
Jessica Castles (born 2002), English-Swedish artistic gymnast
Jessica Chastain (born 1977), American actress
Jessica Chávez (born 1988), Mexican professional boxer
Jessica Ching (born 1987), Hong Kong racewalking athlete
Jessica Cirio (born 1985), Argentine model
Jessica Cisneros (born 1993), American attorney
Jessica Clark (actress) (born 1985), British model and actress
Jessica Clarke (model) (born 1993), New Zealand model
Jessica Clarke (footballer) (born 1989), English footballer
Jessica G. L. Clarke (born 1983), American lawyer
Jessica Cleaves (1948–2014), American singer and songwriter
Jessica-Jane Clement (born 1985), British glamour model, actress and TV presenter
Jessica Coch (born 1979), Mexican actress
Jessi Combs (1980–2019), American racer and TV presenter
Jessica Cornish, known as Jessie J (born 1988), British singer-songwriter
Jessica Cottis (born 1979), Australian-British conductor
Jessica Cox (born 1983), American pilot
Jessica Cristina (born 1975), merengue artist and pop singer
Jessica Davenport (born 1985), American basketball player
Jessica De Gouw (born 1988), Australian actress
Jessica Deglau (born 1980), Canadian swimmer
Jessica DiCicco (born 1980), American actress
Jessica Dominguez, immigration lawyer based in California
Jessica Drake (born 1974), American pornographic actress
Jessica Dubroff (1988–1996), American pilot trainee
Jessica Durlacher (born 1961), Dutch literary critic, columnist and novelist
Jessica Eddie (born 1984), English rower
Jessica Ennis (born 1986), British athlete
Jessica Enström (born 1977), Swedish handball player
Jessica Sompong Espiner (born 1997), Thai actress
Jessica Esquivel, Mexican and American physicist and science communicator
Jessica Eye (born 1986), American mixed martial artist
Jessica Falk (born 1973), Swedish singer-songwriter and musician
Jessica Fay, American politician
Jessica Fintzen, German mathematician
Jesica Fitriana (born 1995), Indonesian HIV/AIDS activist, furniture designer, model and beauty pageant titleholder
Jessica Fodera (born 1975), American musician, singer and artist, known professionally as Jessicka
Jessica Folcker (born 1975), Swedish singer
Jessica Fox (canoeist) (born 1994), French-Australian slalom canoer
Jessica Gadirova (born 2004), English artistic gymnast
Jessica Gagen, English beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss England 2022
Jessica Gal (born 1971), Dutch judoka
Jessica García (born 1980), Puerto Rican judoka
Jessica Garlick (born 1981), Welsh singer
Jessica Gaspar (born 1976), American professional basketball player
Jessica Glynne, better known as Jess Glynne (born 1989), English singer-songwriter
Jessica Gomes (born 1985), Australian model
Jessica Gonzalez (labor organizer) (born 1992 or 1993), American labor organizer
Jessica González-Rojas (born 1976), American activist, politician, and academic
Jessica Graf (born 1990), American reality television personality, actress, and model
Jessica Haines (born 1978), South African actress
Jessica Hall (British actress) (born 1981), English actress
Jessica Hammerl (born 1988), German ice hockey defender
Jessica Harp (born 1982), American country singer-songwriter and guitarist
Jessica Harrison-Hall (born 1965, British sinologist, curator and author
Jessica Hawkins (born 1995), British racing driver and stunt driver
Jessica Hayllar (1858–1940), British artist and painter
Jessica Heeringa (1987–?), American murder victim
Jessica Helleberg (born 1986), Swedish handball player
Jessica Hemmings, British academic and writer
Jessica Henwick (born 1992), English actress and writer
Jessica Hilzinger (born 1997), German alpine ski racer
Jessica Hogg (born 1995), Welsh artistic gymnast
Jessica Ho (rugby union) (born 1992), Hong Kong rugby union player
Jessica Ho, known as Jessi (born 1988), American rapper, singer, and entertainer
Jessica Ho, known as Sica (born 2000), Hong Kong singer, musician, stage actress and cosplayer
Jessica Holmes (born 1973), Canadian comedian and actress
Jessica Hsuan (born 1970), Hong Kong actress
Jessica Huntley (1927–2013), Guyanese-British activist and publisher
Jessica Hynes (born 1972), British actress, writer and comedian
Jessica Iskandar (born 1988), Indonesian actress and model
Jessica Iwanson (born 1948), Swedish choreographer and artistic director
Jessica Jackley (born 1977), American businesswoman and entrepreneur
Jessica Jaymes (1979–2019), American pornographic actress
Jessica Jerome (born 1987), American ski jumper
Jessica Jordan (born 1984), Bolivian-British politician, model and beauty pageant titleholder
Jessica Joseph (born 1982), American ice dancer
Jessica Judd (born 1995), English middle- and long-distance runner
Jessica Jung (born 1989), American-Korean pop singer
Jessica Kellgren-Fozard (born 1989), English YouTuber
Jessica Kingdon, Chinese American director and producer
Jessica Kizaki (Japanese: 希崎ジェシカ) (born 1989), Japanese former AV actress
Jessica Knappett (born 1984), English comedy writer and actress
Jessica Krug, American historian, author, and activist
Jessica Kürten (born 1969), Irish equestrian
Jessica Lange (born 1949), American actress
Jessica Landström (born 1984), Swedish footballer
Jessica Lapenn, American career member of the Senior Foreign Service
Jessica Largey, American chef
Jessica Larsson, Swedish two-time world champion bridge player
Jessica Lee (cyclist) (born 1990), Hong Kong cyclist
Jessica Lee Rose (born 1987), American-New Zealand actress
Jessica Liedberg (born 1969), Swedish actress
Jessica Lindell-Vikarby (born 1984), Swedish World Cup alpine ski racer
Jessica Linley (born 1989), English beauty pageant titleholder
Jessica Mei Li (born 1995), English actress
Jessica Lindstrom (born 1996), American professional basketball player
Jesseca Liu (born 1979), Malaysian actress
Jessica Lowndes (born 1988), Canadian actress and singer-songwriter
Jessica Lu (born 1985), American actress
Jessica Lucas (born 1985), Canadian actress and singer
Jessica Lynch (born 1983), American soldier, teacher and actress
Jessica Lynch (Miss New York) (born 1979), American pageant contestant, Miss New York 2003
Jessica Lynn (born 1990), American country music singer and songwriter
Jessica Macaulay (born 1992), British and Canadian high diver
Jessica Mager (born 1988), German sports shooter
Jessica Makinson (born 1978), American actress
Jessica Marais (born 1985), South African-born Australian actress
Jessica Marasigan (born 1994), Filipino-American model, host, singer, actress, and beauty queen
Jessica Martin (born 1962), British actress and comedian
Jessica Mauboy (born 1989), Australian singer
Jessica Mbangeni (born 1977), South African praise poet and singer
Jessica McCabe, American actress, writer, and YouTube personality
Jessica McClure (born 1986), known as "Baby Jessica" when rescued from a well as a toddler
Jessica Medina, American singer-songwriter
Jessica Meir (born 1977), American astronaut, biologist, and underwater diver
Jessica Mendoza (born 1980), American softball player and sportscaster
Jessica Michibata, Japanese fashion model
Jessica Mitford (1917–1996), Anglo-American writer
Jessica Mila (born 1992), Indonesian actress and model
Jessica Moore (basketball) (born 1982), American basketball player
Jessica Moore (journalist) (born 1982), American journalist
Jessica Moore (tennis) (born 1990), Australian tennis player
Jessica Motaung (born 1973), South African television personality, sports executive and former beauty pageant winner
Jessica Murrey, American game developer and peacemaker
Jessika Nash (born 2004), Australian footballer
Jessica Nettelbladt (born 1972), Swedish director and documentary filmmaker
Jessica Nigri (born 1989), American cosplay enthusiast, promotional model, voice actress and Internet personality
Jessica Nkosi (born 1990), South African actress
Jessica Garza Montes de Oca (born 1984), Mexican actress, singer-songwriter and writer
Jessica Olérs (born 1978), Swedish beauty pageant contestant, Miss Sweden 1998
Jessica Opare-Saforo (born 1981), Ghanaian media personality, TV and radio broadcaster and entrepreneur
Jessica Origliasso (born 1984), Australian musician
Jessica Oyelowo (born 1978), British actress and singer
Jessica Paré (born 1982), Canadian actress
Jessica Parra (born 1995), Colombian professional racing cyclist
Jessica Pasaphan (born 1988), Thai actress
Jessica Pegula (born 1994), American tennis player
Jessica Pengelly (born 1991), South African-born Australian swimmer
Jessica Nery Plata (born 1994), Mexican professional boxer
Jessica Plummer (born 1992), English actress and singer
Jessica Polfjärd (born 1971), Swedish politician
Jessica Raine (born 1982), English actress
Jessica Ransom (born 1981), British actress and writer
Jessica Rawson (born 1943), English art historian, curator and sinologist
Jessica Regan (born 1982), Irish actress
Jessica Kelly Siobhan Reilly, known as Kelly Reilly (born 1977), English actress
Jessica Ridgeway (2002–2012), American murder victim
Jessica Rivera (born 1974), American soprano
Jessica Rodén (born 1976), Swedish politician
Jessica Rodríguez (born 1981), Panamanian model and pageant titleholder
Jessica Roland-Pratt (born 1982), Puerto Rican tennis player
Jessica Rosencrantz (born 1987), Swedish politician
Jessica Rosenthal (born 1992), German politician
Jessica Rossi (born 1992), Italian sport shooter
Jessica Rothe (born 1987), American actress
Jessica Roux (born 1992), South African distance swimmer
Jessica Ryde (born 1994), Swedish handball player
Jessica Salazar (born 1995), Mexican track cyclist
Jessica Samuelsson (heptathlete) (born 1985), Swedish heptathlete
Jessica Sanchez (born 1995), American recording artist
Jessica Savitch (1947–1983), American TV news reporter
Jessica Scheel (born 1990), Guatemalan model and beauty pageant titleholder
Jessica Schilder (born 1999), Dutch athlete
Jessica Schmidt (born 1979), German chess Women Grandmaster
Jessica Schwarz (born 1977), German film and TV actress
Jessica Simpson (born 1980), American pop singer and actress
Jessica Shaina [id] (born 2004), Indonesian actress and model
Jessica Sklar, American mathematician
Jessica Smith (editor) (1895–1983), American editor and activist
Jessica Soho (born 1964), Filipina broadcast journalist
Jessica Spring, American letterpress printer, book artist
Jessica Stam (born 1986), Canadian model
Jessica Stasinowsky (born 1985), Australian convicted murderer
Jessica Steck (born 1978), South African tennis player
Jessica Steen, Canadian actress
Jessica Steffens (born 1987), American water polo player
Jessica Stegrud (born 1970), Swedish politician
Jessica Steiger (born 1992), German swimmer
Jessica Steinhauser, known as Asia Carrera (born 1973), American pornographic actress
Jessica Stroup (born 1986), American actress and model
Jessica Sula (born 1994), Welsh actress
Jessica Sutta (born 1982), American dancer and singer
Jessica Sutton (born 1993), South African actress
Jessica Swale (born 1982), British playwright, theatre director and screenwriter
Jessica Szohr (born 1985), American actress
Jessica Tan (born 1966), Singaporean politician
Jessica Tan (badminton) (born 1993), Singaporean badminton player
Jessica Tandy (1909–1994), English-American actress
Jessica Tanoesoedibjo [id] (born 1994), Indonesian entrepreneur
Jessica Tatti (born 1981), German politician
Jessica Taylor (born 1980), English singer
Jessica Taylor (author), British feminist author and campaigner
Jessica Tejada (born 1971), Peruvian volleyball player
Jessica Thunander (born 1973), Swedish politician
Jessica Torny (born 1980), Dutch footballer
Jessica Townsend (born 1985), Australian author
Jessica Triebeľová (born 2001), Slovak boxer
Jessica Salazar Trejo (born 1991), Mexican politician
Jessica Trisko-Darden (born 1984), Canadian academic, activist, model, and beauty queen
Jessica Tsoi, Hong Kong singer
Jessica Upshaw (1959–2013), American politician and lawyer
Jessica Utts (born 1952), American statistician
Jessica van der Spil (born 1979), Dutch judoka
Jessica Van Der Steen (born 1984), Belgian fashion model
Jessica van Eijs (born 1981), Dutch politician
Jessica Vania (born 1996), Indonesian singer and musician
Jessica Varnish (born 1990), British track cyclist
Jessica Velasquez (born 1976 or 1977), American politician
Jessica Veranda (born 1993), Indonesian singer and actress
Jessica Vetter (born 1985), American ice hockey player
Jessica Villarubin (born 1996), Filipino singer and performer
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (born 1986), German dressage rider
Jessica Voorsanger (born 1965), American artist
Jessica Wade (born 1988), British physicist
Jessica Wahls (born 1977), German pop singer
Jessica Walsh (born 1986), American designer, art director, illustrator and educator
Jessica Walter (1941–2021), American actress
Jessica Watkins (born 1988), American astronaut, geologist, aquanaut and rugby player
Jessica Weller (born 1983), German politician
Jessica Wetterling (born 1986), Swedish politician
Jessica White (born 1984), American model
Jessica Wich (born 1990), German footballer
Jessica Wik (born 1992), Swedish professional footballer
Jessica Williams (actress), American actress and comedian
Jessica Williams (musician) (1948–2022), American pianist and composer
Jessica Wong (born 1991), Canadian ice hockey player
Jessica L. Wright (born 1952), American politician
Jessica Keenan Wynn (born 1986), American actress
Jessica Xue (born 1994), Chinese radio host, model and beauty pageant titleholder
Jessica Yang (born 1990), former professional tennis player from Hong Kong
Jessica Yaniv, Canadian transgender activist
Jessica Yellin (born 1971), American journalist
Jessica Yu (born 1966), American film director
Jessica Zafra (born 1965), Filipina writer
Jessica Zahedi (born 1978), German television presenter and journalist
Jessica Zajicek, American actress
Jessica Zandén (born 1957), Swedish actress
Jessica Zelinka (born 1981), Canadian pentathlete
Jessica Zhu (born 1986), Chinese-American pianist

People with the middle name

Chika Jessica (born 1988), Indonesian actress
Sarah Jessica Parker (born 1965), American actress, model, singer and producer

Fictional characters

Jessica (The Merchant of Venice), in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
Jessica (Rick and Morty), in Adult Swim's Rick and Morty
Lady Jessica, in the Dune science fiction universe
Jessica (originally Reika), in the Japanese TV series Stitch!
Jessica Baker, in the 2003 film Cheaper by the Dozen and its sequel
Jessica "Jessie" Bannon, in the television series The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
Jessica Cruz, superhero in DC Comics universe
Jessica Darling, in a novel series by Megan McCafferty
Jessica Davis, in the novel and Netflix series 13 Reasons Why
Jessica Day, in the sitcom New Girl
Jessica Drew, in the Marvel Comics Universe series Spider-Woman
Jessica Fisher, in the television series Waterloo Road
Jessica Fletcher, in the American television mystery series Murder, She Wrote
Jessica Glitter, in the American sitcom How I Met Your Mother
Jessica Hamby, in the HBO series True Blood
Jessica James, in The Incredible Jessica James
Jessica Jones, a superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe
Jessica Lovejoy, in the American television comedy series The Simpsons
Jessica Moore, in the TV series Supernatural
Jessica Morgan, the main human protagonist of The Transformers Season 3, "The Return of Optimus Prime"
Jessica Olson, from the Disney channel original movie, Starstruck (2010 film)
Jessica Rabbit, in the Who Framed Roger Rabbit series
Jessica "Jesse" Miriam Reeves, in the 2002 film Queen of the Damned
Jessica Riggs, in the 1989 film Prancer
Jessica Riley, a playable character in the survival horror game Until Dawn
Jessica Ruiz, in the television series The Electric Company
Jessica Sanders, in the NBC science fiction drama Heroes
Jessica Stanley, in the Twilight Saga written by Stephenie Meyer
Jessica Stiehl, fictional character in the German soap opera Verbotene Liebe (Forbidden Love)
Jessica Tate, in the American TV series Soap
Jessica Ushiromiya, from Umineko no Naku Koro ni
Jessica W., from Rick and Morty
Jessica Wakefield, in the Sweet Valley High and Sweet Valley Twins novels
Jessica Warren, in the television series Bones
Jessica Edwards, in the manga series and anime Legend of the Galactic Heroes

References

^ "Jesica - Name Meaning, What does Jesica mean?". www.thinkbabynames.com. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. (1990). A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-211651-7.
^ "Genesis 11:29 in Matthew, Geneva and King James' versions". Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ Karl Elze (1874), Essays on Shakespeare (PCMI collection), translated by L. Dora Schmitz, Macmillan and Company
^ Evans, Cleveland Kent (24 March 2024). "Evans: Shakespeare is the Author of the Name Jessica". omaha.com. Omaha World Herald. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
^ Most Popular 1000 Names of the 1980s. Social Security Administration (SSA), United States. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
^ Most Popular 1000 Names of the 1990s. Social Security Administration (SSA), United States. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
^ OACT. "Popular Baby Names". www.ssa.gov. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ Baby Names, England and Wales, 2005. Office for National Statistics (ONS), United Kingdom. Released: 28 July 2011.
^ Baby Names, England and Wales, 2006. Office for National Statistics (ONS), United Kingdom. Released: 28 July 2011.

Name list

This page or section lists people that share the same given name.
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