Josephine
The French feminine diminutive of Joseph, Hebrew for “he will add.”
Popularity, 1880–2025
Josephine appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in 71 different years between 1880 and 2025. Its biggest year was 1918, when 8,682 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 24 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1916, at No. 21. In 2025 it ranked No. 53 for girls. All told, 332,458 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Josefine (707), Joesphine (628) (total births since 1880)
Other names that share a story: Joseph, Josie
Explore Josephine interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 7,732 | No. 45 |
| 1890s | 12,463 | No. 44 |
| 1900s | 18,785 | No. 28 |
| 1910s | 61,355 | No. 21 |
| 1920s | 69,223 | No. 27 |
| 1930s | 36,051 | No. 49 |
| 1940s | 24,324 | No. 89 |
| 1950s | 16,412 | No. 146 |
| 1960s | 9,317 | No. 258 |
| 1970s | 5,154 | No. 363 |
| 1980s | 4,732 | No. 430 |
| 1990s | 7,059 | No. 312 |
| 2000s | 13,924 | No. 201 |
| 2010s | 23,960 | No. 90 |
| 2020s | 20,976 | No. 53 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.