Jessica

Jessica is a name coined by William Shakespeare for his play The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. Shakespeare likely derived it from the Hebrew name Iscah (Yiskah), meaning to behold or to see, which appears in the Book of Genesis as the name of a niece of Abraham. The name remained rare after its literary debut but rose dramatically in popularity across English-speaking countries during the twentieth century. Related forms include Jessika and the diminutive Jessie, which is also used as an independent name.