Jesse is a Hebrew name, Yishai in the Bible, usually explained as "gift" or "God exists"; Jesse of Bethlehem was the father of King David, and the family tree of Jesus is called the Tree of Jesse. In America it belongs to outlaw Jesse James and Olympic champion Jesse Owens. Jesse was a top 100 name in the United States in 2000 and peaked at number 89 in 2005; since then it has drifted gently to number 184 in 2025.