Jesse
Jesse comes from the Hebrew "Yishai," meaning gift or "God exists." In the Hebrew Bible, Jesse was the father of King David — a Bethlehem farmer whose lineage became the root of the Davidic dynasty and, ultimately, of Jesus. The "Tree of Jesse" is a common motif in medieval Christian art. Jesse was a top-100 American name from 1970 to 2010, peaking at #37 in 1981. Jesse (the outlaw Jesse James, 1847-1882, the legendary bank robber of the Old West) gave the name a Western charge. Jesse (the athlete Jesse Owens, 1913-1980, who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, defying Hitler) is the most famous American bearer. I find Jesse has a brisk, slightly biblical quality — the single syllable is direct, and the "J" opening is firm. The "ss" gives it softness. Jesse has been outside the US top 100 since 2014. Jesse is a male name of Hebrew origin that means "Gift, or "God exists"". Brisk, biblical, and a little Western. The name sounds friendly. Jesses tend to be confident. US peaked #37 in 1981. Now top 200. Well-known people named Jesse include Jesse (biblical), Jesse Owens (athlete), Jesse James (outlaw), Jesse (Hebrew name). Common variations and related forms of Jesse include Yishai (Hebrew), Jessie (variant), Jess (short form), Yishay (Hebrew).