Jalessa
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly a blend of Jessica and Alessa.
Name Census estimates that about 659 living Americans carry the first name Jalessa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Jalessa today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jalessa births was 1988 (150 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jalessa. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
659
~ 1 in 520,113 Americans
Peak year
1988
150 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2016 SSA rank
#15,102
Tracked since 1987
Popularity
Jalessa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jalessa from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 317 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jalessa by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Jalessa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jalessas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. New York, Georgia, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Jalessa, while Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Alabama recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 19 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jalessa
The name Jalessa is of uncertain origin, but it is believed to have roots in several languages and cultures. One possible source is the Arabic name Jalila, meaning "beautiful" or "precious." It may also be derived from the Italian name Giulia or Giuliana, which comes from the Roman name Julia, meaning "youthful."
Another theory suggests that Jalessa has ties to the Persian name Jaleh, which means "beautiful" or "blooming." Alternatively, it could be a combination of the French name Jacques and the Spanish name Alessa, though the exact meaning behind this blending is unclear.
While there is no definitive record of the name Jalessa in ancient texts or religious scriptures, some scholars believe it may have been used in various regions of the Middle East and Mediterranean during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jalessa is from the 16th century, when it appeared in Italian records. However, it wasn't until the late 19th century that the name gained more widespread popularity, particularly in parts of Europe and North America.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Jalessa. Jalessa Quintana (1892-1972) was a prominent Mexican artist known for her vibrant paintings depicting traditional Mexican life. Jalessa Monteiro (1918-2003) was a Brazilian novelist and poet who explored themes of love, loss, and identity in her works.
In the field of science, Jalessa Hawkins (1901-1987) was an American physicist who made significant contributions to the study of atomic structure and quantum mechanics. Jalessa Alvarez (1924-2009) was a Spanish political activist and journalist who fought for women's rights and social justice during the Franco regime.
More recently, Jalessa Smith (born 1982) is an American actress and director who has worked in both film and television, gaining recognition for her roles in independent productions and her advocacy for diversity in the entertainment industry.
It is important to note that while these examples provide insight into the historical use of the name Jalessa, its exact origins and meanings remain somewhat shrouded in mystery, leaving room for further exploration and interpretation.
People
Jalessa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jalessa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jalessa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jalessa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 659 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jalessa going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 520,113 US residents.
Is Jalessa a common name?
We classify Jalessa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 685 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jalessa most popular?
The single biggest year for Jalessa was 1988, when 150 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jalessa is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jalessa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jalessa in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.