Jessica

Jessica is closely associated with Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, in which it is the name of Shylock's daughter. Shakespeare appears to have shaped the spelling from the biblical Iscah, although the precise route is not certain. Meanings involving seeing or beholding are often connected with that Hebrew name; “wealthy” is not a secure alternative translation.

The literary spelling later became an everyday given name with a large family of short forms. Jess and Jessie are especially familiar, and Jessika and Jesica are alternative spellings. Actresses Jessica Lange and Jessica Chastain illustrate its continued use across generations. The name's Shakespearean history is distinct from its much more recent popularity in American birth records.