The given name Jesus originated from the ancient Hebrew name Yeshua, which means "Yahweh is salvation" or "Yahweh saves". It is derived from the Hebrew root words "yesha" meaning "to deliver" or "to rescue", and the prefix "ya" referring to God's name Yahweh. The Greek translation of Yeshua became Iēsous, which later evolved into the Latin form Iesus, and finally the English Jesus.

The name gained immense significance in the Christian faith as it was the name given to Jesus Christ, the central figure of Christianity. The name appears numerous times in the New Testament of the Bible, particularly in the Gospels that recount the life and teachings of Jesus.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Jesus can be found in the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus, who lived in the first century AD. He mentions Jesus and his crucifixion by Roman authorities.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the first name Jesus. One of the earliest was Jesus ben Sirach, a Jewish scholar and author of the Book of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus, written around 180 BC. Another early figure was Jesus ben Ananias, a Jewish prophet who lived in the first century AD and is mentioned in the writings of Josephus.

During the Middle Ages, one of the most prominent individuals with the name Jesus was Jesus the Nazarene, a Jewish preacher and alleged false messiah who lived in the fourth century AD.

In more recent times, some notable figures with the first name Jesus include Jesus Garcia, a Mexican-American labor leader and civil rights activist (1915-1977), and Jesus Blasco, a Spanish painter and sculptor (1919-1995).

Another significant figure was Jesus Colón, a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball player who played for several teams, including the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals, between 1964 and 1976.