Baby Name Popularity Profile

Jessica

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Jessica.

✦ God beholds 🌍 Hebrew traditional
National Rank (2025) #665
All-Time Peak Rank #1 Achieved 1985
Total U.S. Births 1,050,729 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 0.2% Boy / 99.8% Girl Overwhelmingly Female
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1980s 55,992 births in 1987
πŸ’‘ The Jessica Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning God beholds
Language Origin Hebrew
Origin Type single
Invented by William Shakespeare for a character in 'The Merchant of Venice', possibly derived from the Hebrew name Iscah (Yiskah) meaning 'to behold'.
Common Nicknames
Jess Jessie
Alternative Spellings
Jessika
Pronunciation: JES-i-kuh
Themes & Categories
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Jessica

According to SSA data, Jessica achieved its highest historical rank of #1 in 1985. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1987 with 55,992 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 73.4%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Jessica across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -73.4% Decline
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 55,992 births in 1987
Years in Top 100 41 yrs
Years in Top 500 75 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 94
1890s: 135
1900s: 159
1910s: 411
1920s: 410
1930s: 499
1940s: 2,204
1950s: 4,559
1960s: 13,671
1970s: 143,492
1980s: 469,510
1990s: 303,136
2000s: 90,665
2010s: 18,227
2020s: 3,557

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Jes-si-ca
Letter Count 7 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 54.1% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 54.1% of SSA names. Starts with J, a letter used by only 7.8% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Jessica.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Alaska
Top States Alaska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Wyoming, Vermont
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Alaska Unranked 2,651 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada Unranked 5,372 1988 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 4,841 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 1,928 1983 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 2,421 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #700 47,219 1987 45.5% Decline
Delaware Unranked 2,811 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #430 16,820 1987 Insufficient historical volume
California #484 136,185 1991 56.8% Decline
Utah #423 10,792 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon Unranked 11,700 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut Unranked 13,909 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #667 14,977 1986 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 4,867 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 5,376 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 4,462 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #491 19,533 1988 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 6,491 1987 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #686 32,343 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #620 16,801 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #679 24,475 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 3,248 1983 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #715 25,689 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #573 79,576 1987 27.6% Decline
Montana Unranked 3,168 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin Unranked 20,432 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #570 18,891 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #592 28,307 1987 30.8% Decline
Tennessee #1040 21,399 1986 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #1306 37,875 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #973 23,393 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #688 45,370 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas Unranked 10,331 1987 Insufficient historical volume
New York #1002 75,326 1987 70.0% Decline
North Dakota Unranked 3,313 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #993 21,639 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #464 16,866 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska Unranked 7,024 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #827 46,670 1987 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #707 26,741 1987 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 3,068 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa Unranked 11,990 1981 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #492 12,900 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #826 15,882 1986 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 8,179 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma Unranked 11,829 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #600 15,732 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #705 45,522 1986 50.0% Decline
Arkansas Unranked 8,906 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 9,390 1987 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 3,230 1987 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

πŸ‘¦ Brother Suggestions
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πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions

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