For decades, Jessica was one of the most popular baby names.
As a result, there is no shortage of beautiful nicknames for Jessica for you to give to your baby girl or best friend.
You’ll find both funny and cool nicknames for Jessica on this list, but don’t be afraid to play with different combinations and come up with one of your own!
Although this name is super-popular, its origins are far from generic.
Most people believe that it was William Shakespeare who came up with this name for a character in his play, The Merchant of Venice.
He will have found the inspiration for this name from the Hebrew name Iscah, which means “sight”.
As you can see, this name has a very rich history, just like some of the more vintage names for girls.
Read on to discover some good nicknames for this name, as well as some famous women whose names start with Jess!
Jessica – Name Meaning And Origin
Growing up, I must have known at least 10 people with the name Jessica, and I’m sure you did too.
It’s one of those super-popular names like Jennifer that will definitely be skipped by parents looking for unique girl names.
However, the name Jessica (or Jessika, depending on how you spell it) has a beautiful origin that certainly justifies its popularity.
The one and only William Shakespeare came up with this name. Jessica was the name of a character in one of his plays, The Merchant of Venice.
In the play, she’s the daughter of a man called Shylock who works as a moneylender.
It’s unclear how Shakespeare came up with this name, but he probably used the name Iscah (also spelled as Iesca) as a baseline which he then adjusted to the English language.
Iscah (or Yiskah) is a Biblical female name that comes from the Old Testament. It translates to “sight” from Hebrew.
As a given name, Jessica is almost exclusively used as a girls’ name, while the male version is Jesse. Interestingly enough, Jesse can work as a name or nickname for girls.
When it comes to popularity, Jessica was the most popular female name in the US from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s.
It had a brief drop in popularity in the early 1990s but regained the top spot in the mid-1990s.
This name remained in the top ten until the early 2000s when its popularity began to wane.
Short Nicknames For Jessica
The whole point of a nickname is to make a name shorter, right? Here are some of my favorite short nicknames for Jessica:
1. Yessi
2. Jeje
3. Jaycee
4. Jesca
5. Jes
6. Jelly
7. Ica
8. Jess
9. Jecca
10. Jez
11. Jiji
12. Jex
13. Jessca
14. Jeddie
15. JJ
16. Kika
17. Jessy
18. Jesse
19. Sika
20. Jessa
21. Sica
22. Jacy
23. Jessi
24. Jay
Cute Nicknames For Jessica
Nicknames are almost always a term of endearment.
We use them to express love, affection, and closeness with another person – that’s why it’s so weird when a person you don’t know calls you by your nickname!
If you’re struggling to come up with a cute or funny nickname for Jessica, feel free to pick a pet name from the list below.
1. Jey-Jey
2. Jess-e-bot
3. Queen Jessi
4. Jessi-Jess
5. Jessi Boo
6. Jessimania
7. Jessie-reno
8. Jessica Pickles
9. Jesse Car
10. Jessica Tickles
11. Jellymcflurry
12. Jessicake
13. Jessie Mouse
14. Miss J
15. Jessi Dear
16. Jessicarita
17. Jezzica
18. Jezyca
19. Jessicat
20. Jessicara
21. Jessaka
22. Jez-K
23. Jessy-Bear
24. Jessie-Jess
25. Messy Jessie
26. Jecasi
27. Jessabeth
28. Jessiquita
29. Jay Bae
30. Jelly-Ca
31. Jessica chan
32. Baby Jess
33. Jessie-J
34. Hurricane Jessie
35. Jessiqua
36. Jessizzle
37. Jesseca
38. Jumpy Jess
39. Jessie-rino
40. Jessarina
41. Princess J
42. Baby J
43. Juicy Jess
44. Jesizzle
45. Jesscow
46. Jessie-poo
47. Jessi Bear
48. Jessiecalita
49. Jessicouille
50. Jesstifer
51. Jessicant
52. Jes-sic
53. Sheshi
54. Jezzee
55. Jessie
56. J-Dawg
57. Jess Jess
58. Gessika
59. JWow
Beautiful Nicknames For Jessica
Not everyone appreciates funny nicknames. Some people are very sensitive when it comes to their name and might get offended at being called Jessicouille or J-Dawg.
That’s why I’ve prepared this list of endearing nicknames that I’m sure the Jessica in your life will love.
1. Cassie
2. Jennica
3. Essie
4. Yessica
5. Jessey
6. Jaycie
7. Miss Jess
8. Jesslyn
9. Jessalin
10. Jessica J
11. Jay Jay
12. Baby Girl
13. Jessyka
14. Jesselyn
15. Jessalyn
16. Jemma
17. Jessalen
18. Jacky
The Name Jessica In Other Languages
While not as international as the names Sarah or Emma, different versions of Jessica still pop up in other languages as well.
Here are some of them:
• Dzsesszika – This variation comes from Hungary.
• Xhesika – You’ll find women with this name in Albania.
• Gessica – This is the Italian version of this name.
Middle Names For Jessica
A lot of parents are fans of shorter middle names for girls, especially if the first name is longer than one syllable.
However, Jessica is one of those names that can work with both longer and shorter middle names, so you’ll be spoiled for choice.
Here are a few of my suggestions:
• Chloe
• Amy
• Rosa
• Lola
• Katy
• Beth
• Ella
• Charlotte
• Ruby
• Eva
• Lois
• Sarah
• Evie
• Lily
• Keira
• Erin
• Kate
• Megan
• Phoebe
• Neve
Sibling Names For Jessica
It’s a well-known fact that siblings can be jealous of one another, even when it comes to names.
That’s why it’s important to find an appropriate sibling name that matches Jessica.
My recommendation is to go for two or three-syllable names like Amanda that are classic and have similar origins to the name Jessica.
For boys:
• Justin
• Daniel
• James
• Joshua
• Michael
• Jacob
• Matthew
• Christopher
• Andrew
• David
• Ryan
• Jason
For girls:
• Melissa
• Megan
• Sarah
• Samantha
• Amanda
• Stephanie
• Rachel
• Ashley
• Rebecca
• Jennifer
• Emily
• Nicole
RELATED: 84 Beautiful Nicknames For Nicole That Are Cute And Fun
Famous People Named Jessica
This was the most popular baby name for girls in the US for many years, so you probably won’t be surprised to hear there are a lot of famous women and fictional characters called Jessica.
Here are some of them:
• Jessica Alba – Best known as an American actress, Jessica Alba is also a businesswoman who founded the Honest Company which makes diapers and other baby products.
• Jessica Biel – Another American actress you might know from comedies like Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve.
• Sarah Jessica Parker – Although Jessica is technically the middle name of this actress, I couldn’t possibly omit her from this list.
• Jessica Rabbit – A fictional character who appears in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
• Jessica Jones – A superhero created by Marvel Comics.
• Jessica Day – Another fictional character who is the main protagonist of the TV show New Girl. She’s played by Zooey Deschanel.
Final Thoughts
Did you get your fill of nicknames for Jessica? I hope so!
Although modern parents tend to shy away from this name because it was so popular in the 1980s and 1990s, it lends itself well to nicknames.
Besides, it has a really cool origin story, as it first appeared in a play by William Shakespeare.
When thinking of sibling names that will go well with your little Jessi, it’s a good idea to consider other names that start with J, but you won’t go too far wrong with other multi-syllable names either.
Just make sure the name isn’t too exotic so it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb.
As for middle names, you can go for a shorter or longer name, although a shorter one will probably give the full name a better ring, but remember your last name also plays an important role.
Let me know what your favorite nicknames are and if you have any suggestions of your own!
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