Jesse is a given name of Hebrew origin.

It derives its popularity from the biblical figure Jesse, father of Israelite monarch David.

The English version is derived from the Latin Iesse, borrowed from the Ancient Greek Iessaí (Ἰεσσαί), and ultimately from the Hebrew Yišay (יִשַׁי).

It has been a popular given name in many English-speaking countries since the 1880s.

[1] Despite being similar in appearance, it is unrelated in origin to the given name Jessica.