Meaning: Its source is Iscah, a Hebrew name meaning "He beholds."

Popularity: The name Jessia ranked 4056th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: William Shakespeare invented the modern name Jessica for Shylock's daughter in his play The Merchant of Venice. Though he may have intended it to denote a typical Jewish girl, the name has become popular with all ethnic groups.