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Jess

Girl name · 200 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Jess: 200 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 15 births in 2019.

A short form with a long history, Jess began as a nickname for Jessica, itself from the Hebrew Yiskah, meaning “to behold” or “foresight.” It also shares roots with Jesse, the biblical father of King David, whose name means “gift.” Famous bearers include singer Jess Glynne, the voice of hits like “Rather Be”; Labour politician Jess Phillips, a prominent voice in Westminster; and Olympic heptathlete Jess Ennis-Hill, a Scottish-born sporting icon. The name is also well known from the TV character Jess Day in *New Girl*, which helped boost its popularity. While Jess is common in its own right, the variant Jessie offers a slightly softer, vintage feel, often associated with the Wild West outlaw Jesse James. It remains a friendly, approachable choice, consistently used in Scotland for decades.