Josephine
How to say it: JOH-suh-FEEN · /ˌdʒoʊsəˈfin/
French feminine form of Joseph; from Hebrew 'Yosef' meaning 'God will add' or 'God will increase'.
Josephine was the 69th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 4,126 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1910s, its births are up about 65% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #53 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #69 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 4,126 |
| Share of births | 1 in 803 |
| Peak decade | 1910s |
| Change over 10 years | +65% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #53 |
| In France, 2025 | #107 among girls’ names, 575 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
After fading almost out of sight in the 1980s, Josephine returned and now sits well below its 1910s high at #69. Growth ahead should lift it further.
What goes with it
Flowing and breathy with a literary character that travels well, Josephine feels elegant aloud. Josie and Eleanor make lovely companions.
Middle names that flow with Josephine →
Parents who love Josephine also love
Nicknames
- Jo
- Josie
- Joey
- Fifi
Honouring a Josephine in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Josephine is about 1 in 34.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew.
In France: #107 for girls in 2025.
England and Wales: #257.
Famous people named Josephine
- Josephine Baker (1906–1975)American-born French dancer, singer and actress
- Josephine Hull (1877–1957)American stage and film actress
- Josephine Bakhita (1868–1947)Sudanese saint and former slave
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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