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Original poster

Jesse for a boy?

81 replies

Batmanandrobin123 · 02/12/2019 19:55

DH thinks it's too girly. I love it. I'm aware of the 'big Jesse' insult in Scotland but we're not in Scotland. Any thoughts? Anyone know of any boys called Jesse and do they like their name?

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TheReluctantCountess · 02/12/2019 22:32

It’s lovely. I teach a boy called Jesse. It alludes to the Bible.

Amortentia · 02/12/2019 22:32

Absolutely not, but I am in Scotland and a boy with this name would be tormented relentlessly sadly. Not just because of the ‘big Jesse’ thing but because it’s a very common name amongst old ladies here.

ginghamstarfish · 02/12/2019 22:34

I grew up in the NW and it was used as an insult, eg 'southern jessie', so depends where you live!

Aquamarine1029 · 02/12/2019 22:35

I absolutely love Jesse. I've known a few and they were all lovely.

SummerPlace · 02/12/2019 22:35

I love the name Jesse. I'm dating myself, but there are a couple of great songs from my yoof with Jesse in the title: Carly Simon's "Jesse" and Rick Springfield's "Jesse's girl."

Actually, I always remember the latter in "Boogie nights." It just showed how effectively a rather harmless song could be used to be menacing.

Tillygetsit · 02/12/2019 22:47

My cousin's ds is Jesse. The older generation raised their eyebrows a bit but I love it.

Leopardprintboots · 02/12/2019 22:50

It’s number 75 in the charts for boys (and doesn’t ever chart as a girls’ names) so it’s popular enough that it’s a relatively safe choice for a little chap but still fairly unusual

ByAppointmentTo · 02/12/2019 22:55

Really dislike it. I just think of a "big Jesse".

1066vegan · 02/12/2019 22:57

"big Jesse" isn't just an insult in Scotland and the North. I grew up in the Midlands and it's the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread.

Marcipex · 02/12/2019 23:03

Too girly, sorry.

MzPumpkinPie · 02/12/2019 23:07

My Quinn has blonde ringlet curls and huge baby blue eyes!

Original poster
Batmanandrobin123 · 02/12/2019 23:23

The fact it's 75 in in the charts and unpopular in the north must mean it is really popular down south! We are in the outskirts of London but I haven't met any.
I do worry about the bullying potential and DH is really unsure about it. He said he would hate to be called Jesse but he hasn't completely vetoed.
Our other contenders at the moment are Oscar and Finley, both very popular but the only names we can seem to agree on. We have very different tastes.

OP posts:
YourWinter · 03/12/2019 00:35

I like it, though I'm not normally keen on American names (and I can't get Cher's song, 'Just Like Jesse James' out of my head). Who's the American actor who was in The Social Network... Jesse Eisenberg? I think one of Sophie Ellis-Bextor's children is called Jesse, but celebrities can get away with names that are a bit unusual. It certainly isn't a daft name (like Gwyneth Paltrow or Jamie Oliver gave their kids) but he won't know many other kids with the same name!

Omashu · 03/12/2019 05:30

Jesse and Rory does make me think of Gilmore girls but it think it’s a lovely name! And since your Rory is a boy I don’t think people will make the connection so easily.

Katfood · 03/12/2019 07:04

When I hear the name I assume it's Jessie, short for Jessica.

I love Quinn. Cool and strong!

GOODCAT · 03/12/2019 07:08

I knew a Jesse who would now be in his 70s. I love the name but would be wary of using it because of the insults and it isn't just Scotland but southern England where that happens.

BoudicasBoudoir · 03/12/2019 07:13

I can’t read it without hearing Billy Connolly saying ‘Big Jessie’.

SillyUnMurphy · 03/12/2019 07:15

I love the name Jesse. I have a friend with that name - great big bloke so not at all girly!

ShippingNews · 03/12/2019 07:22

I love it. Do please use it.

EleanorShellstrop100 · 03/12/2019 07:34

😍 love it

Emthebaker · 03/12/2019 07:46

I love it! It’s my nephew’s name and he suits it so much. We live in the north west, I’ve never heard it used as an insult.

boymum9 · 03/12/2019 07:48

I have a 2 year old Jesse @Batmanandrobin123 bad we've actually only ever got compliments on it even though some family members made the "big Jesse" references before he was born. I do have to often say "no, he's a boy, it's j e s s e" !! But he does have longer blond curly hair!Grin

boymum9 · 03/12/2019 07:51

@Batmanandrobin123 (we chose it from a biblical sense as in Jesse father of David which I think people miss and presume it's a very American name which isn't the case originally although is more popular in America than here I think!)

GrapefruitGin · 03/12/2019 07:53

I’m from north London and have heard of the old school insult ‘Jesse’ but it would never occur to me now if I met a someone with that name. I haven’t heard the insult since the late nineties! People think of the England footballer or the American actor when you hear the name Jesse now. I think it’s a really cool name and his generation won’t know it’s an ‘insult’.

Leopardprintboots · 03/12/2019 13:49

@Batmanandrobin123 maybe you could explain to your husband that when he was growing up the name Jesse will have been outside the top 1000 names so I can understand why he wouldn’t want a name that unusual.

Given it’s now in the top 75 names the name will have a totally different feel to it to the next generation. It’s not like Jesse will be in a class full of Dave’s and Dan and Nicks and Kate and Sarah’s. He will be in a class full of Alfie and Archie and billy etc etc. So maybe try and get him to see the name from the point of view of a child in 2019 rather than a child in the 1980s or whatever