Jesse is a male given name of Hebrew origin, best known from the biblical figure who was the father of King David. It derives from the Hebrew name Yishai (יִשַׁי), which comes through the Greek form Iessai (Ἰεσσαί) and the Latin Iesse into English. The meaning of Yishai is uncertain; it may come from the Hebrew word shai meaning "gift," or from yesh meaning "existence." In the Old Testament, Jesse is a significant patriarch. According to the Book of Samuel, he was the son of Obed and the father of David, who became the second king of Israel. Jesse lived in Bethlehem and is depicted as a shepherd and farmer. The biblical narrative tells how the prophet Samuel anointed David as king in Jesse's presence, bypassing Jesse's older sons. Jesse is also prominently mentioned in the Book of Isaiah, where the future Messiah is prophesied to be a "root of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1), giving rise to the iconographic and literary motif of the Tree of Jesse in Christian art and genealogy. Usage and Notable Bearers As a personal name, Jesse began to be used as an English given name after the Protestant Reformation, when biblical names rebounded in popularity. It has remained consistently popular in English-speaking countries since the 1880s. The name is also found in Dutch and Finnish, and is used in the English Bible translation. One of the most famous historical bearers is Jesse James (1847–1882), the American outlaw and Confederate guerrilla who robbed banks and stagecoaches. He became a folk hero of the Wild West, though his life ended when he was shot by fellow gang member Robert Ford. Another prominent namesake is athlete Jesse Owens (1913–1980), whose real name was James Cleveland Owens. He achieved international fame at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, winning four gold medals and refuting Nazi ideologies of racial superiority. Other notables include baseball player Jesse Barfield, director Jesse Dylan, and actor Jesse Eisenberg. Variants and Diminutives Variants include Jessie (mainly used as a feminine name), Jessy, and the diminutive Jess. In other languages, Hebrew retains Yishai, French uses Jessé (listed as Portuguese in the brief but French in web sources), Portuguese uses Jessé, Dutch has Isaï for the biblical figure (now common for the given name), and Greek has Iessai. The name is distinct from the unrelated feminine name Jessica. Meaning: Possibly "gift" or "existence" Origin: Hebrew (Yišay), via Greek Iessai and Latin Iesse Type: Given name, masculine Usage Regions: Dutch, English, Finnish, English Bible