Quick answer
Jesse is a boy name meaning "gift; existence".
Pronunciation: English /ˈd͡ʒɛs.i/; Dutch /ˈjɛ.sə/; Finnish /ˈjes.se/.
Meaning and history
From Ἰεσσαί (Iessai), the Greek form of the Hebrew name יִשַׁי (Yishai). This could be a derivative of the word שַׁי ( shai ) meaning "gift" or יֵשׁ ( yesh ) meaning "existence". In the Old Testament Jesse is the father of King David. It began to be used as an English given name after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was Jesse James (1847-1882), an American outlaw who held up banks and stagecoaches. He was eventually shot by a fellow gang member for a reward. Another famous bearer was the American athlete Jesse Owens (1913-1980), whose real name was James Cleveland (or J. C.) Owens.
Notes and context
Usage: english, dutch, finnish, biblical | Ancient Hebrew: יִשַׁי