Josephine
Meaninghe will add · French form of Joseph
- US rank
- #53
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #21 in 1917
4,126 babies were named Josephine in the US in 2025. It has climbed 34 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million girls, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Josephine you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Josephine
Josephine Hull
American stage and film actress (1877-1957)
Choose Josephine and your child shares a first name with Josephine Hull, an American stage and film actress. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Josephine, like who?” Josephine Hull's Wikipedia article is available in 47 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Josephine Hull on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Vandamm Studio, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 390 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Josephine, 4,126 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Josephine.
- HistoryJosephine has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Josephines, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1917, when it reached #21.
- Then vs nowJosephine is 4.2× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 1,627 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 390.
- TrendJosephine has climbed 34 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #53. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedJosephine is the #11 girl name in 2 states, including Washington, D.C., Vermont and Vermont. It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningJosephine is a French form of Joseph, which means “he will add”. Our records link it to French and Hebrew roots.
About the name Josephine
Josephine is a girl name of French and Hebrew origin meaning “he will add”. It has 9 letters and 3 syllables, starting with J and ending in “-ine”. US birth records list Josephine for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1917, when it ranked #21 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #53, with 4,126 babies.
Origin:French namesHebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,920 | 169 girls |
| 1890s | 5,616 | 178 girls |
| 1900s | 6,377 | 157 girls |
| 1910s | 7,474 | 134 girls |
| 1920s | 5,778 | 173 girls |
| 1930s | 3,380 | 296 girls |
| 1940s | 1,731 | 578 girls |
| 1950s | 863 | 1,158 girls |
| 1960s | 506 | 1,978 girls |
| 1970s | 333 | 3,004 girls |
| 1980s | 276 | 3,629 girls |
| 1990s | 394 | 2,540 girls |
| 2000s | 752 | 1,330 girls |
| 2010s | 1,374 | 728 girls |
| 2020s | 2,157 | 464 girls |
Other spellings of Josephine
More French girl names
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Girl name: Evelyn · possibly desired
- Girl name: Violet · violet flower
- Girl name: Camila · temple attendant
- Girl name: Ellie · possibly light
- Girl name: Lainey · possibly light
- Unisex name: Avery · elf counsel
- Girl name: Eloise · possibly healthy, wide
Questions about the name Josephine
What does the name Josephine mean?
Josephine means “he will add” in French, as a form of Joseph.
What is the origin of the name Josephine?
Josephine has French, Hebrew roots in our records. Other French names include Charlotte, Evelyn, Violet.
Is Josephine a boy or girl name?
Josephine is a girl name.
How popular is the name Josephine?
Josephine ranked #53 for US girls in 2025, given to 4,126 babies. Its best year was 1917 (#21).