Declining since 1994, #9,714 for boys today.
Popularity of Jessup since 1948
Babies named Jessup per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 30 |
| 1980s | 65 |
| 1990s | 151 |
| 2000s | 105 |
| 2010s | 84 |
| 2020s | 39 |
Meaning & origin
Jessup is a rare given name of English origin, emerging from a surname tradition. It first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1948 and has never been common. Its peak year was 1995, but the name has since declined, with a falling trajectory observable since 1994. In the latest year with data, 2025, it ranked 9,714th with approximately 1 in every 244,011 male births. The name has no recorded top states, indicating a scattered distribution. Jessup fits a pattern of using distinctive surnames as first names, a style popular throughout the 1990s. Its rarity makes it an uncommon choice, appealing to parents seeking something unique without being unfamiliar.
Jessup is a rare given name derived from an English surname. The surname itself likely originated as a variant of Jessop, which is a diminutive of the given name Joseph, though the exact derivation is uncertain. It has been used sporadically as a first name, particularly in the United States, where it first appeared on record in the late 1940s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jess
Variants: Jessop
Sibling names for Jessup
Names that share Jessup's style, for a brother or sister.
