Jessica
Girl name · #665 in 2025 · Uniqueness 71/100
Jessica ranks #665 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 424 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #206, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,245 girls born in 2025 was named Jessica.
The 145-year story
Jessica first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1987, when 55,992 girls were named Jessica — good for #1 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Jessica per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jessica against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jessica in class?
Jessica scores 71 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Jessica will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Jessica is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jessica is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Jessicas were CA (70), TX (55), FL (24), GA (18), AZ (16). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Jessica
Statistically, parents drawn to Jessica tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Erica, Angelica, Monica, Veronica, and Amanda.
EricaAngelicaMonicaVeronicaAmandaNatashaAlishaJohanna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jessica | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 424 | #665 |
| 2024 | 527 | #575 |
| 2023 | 550 | #549 |
| 2022 | 620 | #508 |
| 2021 | 656 | #477 |
| 2020 | 780 | #399 |
| 2019 | 970 | #331 |
| 2018 | 1,065 | #313 |
| 2017 | 1,292 | #246 |
| 2016 | 1,392 | #231 |
| 2015 | 1,592 | #206 |
| 2014 | 1,804 | #179 |
| 2013 | 1,951 | #164 |
| 2012 | 2,335 | #137 |
| 2011 | 2,626 | #118 |
| 2010 | 3,200 | #92 |
| 2009 | 3,801 | #78 |
| 2008 | 4,739 | #59 |
| 2007 | 5,714 | #42 |
| 2006 | 6,815 | #32 |
| 2005 | 8,115 | #27 |
| 2004 | 9,470 | #21 |
| 2003 | 10,454 | #18 |
| 2002 | 11,921 | #16 |
| 2001 | 13,925 | #11 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Jessica a popular girl name?
Jessica ranked #665 among girls in 2025 with 424 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #206.
When was the name Jessica most popular?
Jessica peaked in 1987, when 55,992 American girls received the name (ranked #1 that year). Since 1987 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jessica?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,245 newborn American girls was named Jessica. It scores 71/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.