- 771
- people in the U.S. have this name Get contact details for people named Jesse Martin
Meaning & Origins
Meaning ‘gift’ in Hebrew; it is borne by the father of King David (1 Samuel 16), from whose line (according to the New Testament) Jesus was ultimately descended. It was popular among the Puritans, and is still used frequently in the United States, less so in Britain. As a girl's name it is a respelling of Jessie. Notable American bearers have included the outlaw Jesse James (1847–82), the athlete Jesse Owens (1913–80), and the politician Jesse Jackson (b. 1941).
| 233rd in the U.S. for 2011 |
English, Scottish, Irish, French, Dutch, German, Czech, Slovak, Spanish (Martín), Italian (Venice), etc.: from a personal name (Latin Martinus, a derivative of Mars, genitive Martis, the Roman god of fertility and war, whose name may derive ultimately from a root mar ‘gleam’). This was borne by a famous 4th-century saint, Martin of Tours, and consequently became extremely popular throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. As a North American surname, this form has absorbed many cognates from other European forms.
| 15th in the U.S. for 2011 |
Nicknames & variations
Jessee, Jessie, Jessey, Jess, Jessy, Jessi, Jessa, Jesscia, Jessye, Jessia
Martinez, Morton, Martino, Martens, Martell, Martins, Martel, Martinson, Martindale, Martz
Top state populations
U.S. Distribution Map