How do you feel about the name Jesse?

[DragonbornMum]

7 weeks to go and trying to find a preference on our shortlist.

I accidentally have set my heart on Jesse. My husband likes it but is hesitant because it's also a girl's name.

He really likes Gabriel/Gabe. I liked Gabriel enough to put on the shortlist, but I've almost immediately gone off it. I loathe Gabe as a nickname.

Thoughts/opinions? Older brother is Eli.

My first thought - nice name it’s a variation of short name from Jessica

Jesse is a lovely name, and understood/accepted as a boys name I would think. I went to uni with a boy called Jesse and he was very nice.

Gabriel is a nice name, but Gabe is horrible.

I don't think of it as a girl's name. Jessie is a girl's name, short for Jessica. Jesse is a standalone Biblical boy's name. I know they obviously sound the same but if I was introduced to a child as "his name is Jesse" I wouldn't think about Jessie.

I love the name Jesse, Gabriel is also lovely!

Both names are great and were on my list but I think Jesse has the edge.

Love the name Jesse.. it will get more popular i think

Jesse either reminds me of a sheepdog (collie) or the character from Breaking Bad.

Love Gabriel/Gabe - very cool. Also doesn't sound silly for when he grows up!

Congratulations btw too

I love both Jesse and Gabriel, but I don't mind Gabe - and if you've got a strong dislike for it, I wouldn't choose Gabriel.

I probably slightly prefer Jesse anyway, but both are lovely names to me.

I absolutely love the name Jesse! It's not a girl's name to me. Possibly because the first couple of times I came across the name was a (very cool) older boy who was the son of family friends and then reading about Jesse James.

It seems a bit odd to me that your H would discount Jesse for being a girl's name but like Gabriel? I mean I like both names (though I do prefer Jesse) but Gabriel sounds just as feminine to my ears (Gabriel vs Gabrielle, Jesse vs Jessie)

Go with Jesse!

And yes, Gabriel will almost inevitably become Gabe

Isn't it a slur for an effeminate boy? You big Jessie. Don't lumber him with that.

I love the name Jesse. It's my ds's name (he's 10). He's never been mistaken for a girl, no one has ever said "ya big Jessie" to him and we were crucified before he was born saying he'd end up getting bullied. It never happened.
Go for it OP

Years ago my grandpa called my male cousin 'a right Jesse' - he meant he was a bit wet and not very manly. I haven't heard the phrase since so probably has no bearing on your choice!

I thought it is more common as a boy's name. My associations would be Jesse James and Jesus.

Maybe if you're very old, homophobic and thick.

I love Jesse. It is a great classical name - different spelling from the girl's nn for Jessica.

I love Gabriel too and think Gabe is fine as a nn - better than Gabby (I know a male Gabby - and don't think that's as good a nn as Gave.)

Sounds like you both like classical biblical names.

Have you thought of Rafael - Raff or Rafe?
Zachary/Zachariah - Zac or Zack
Ezekiel - Zeke
Izaak or Isaac (also nn Zak)
Ezra
Elijah or Elias nn Eli
Samuel
Daniel (qwuite unusual these days)
Michael (also underused)
Jeremiah (Jem, Jez, Jerry
Micah

Many people are I'm afraid to say. Unfortunately that's the world he'll be brought up in, children can be very cruel.

I love Jesse. Go for it!

Prefer the girl variant

I really like it!

I think of the kid from Free Willy (my childhood crush haha)

❤️ the name Jesse

I like it. Although some posters think it's effeminate, I think it's a rugged man's name. Jesse James was a wild west outlaw. How much more hardcore can you get than that?

I also like Gabriel and know a couple of them. Both good names IMO.

I like it.
I know a Jessie (girl) and Jesse (boy) and they both really suit the name.

I love the name Jesse and it’s clearly a boy name for me.