The first name Josephine

In 2025, 182 girls were named Josephine, making it the 256th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1997, with 269 births (#168).

Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Josephine with other names.

In 2025, 4,126 girls born in the United States were named Josephine, the 53rd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 8,682 were.

US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

Nicknames for Josephine

• Jose
• Joey
• Josie
• Joie
• Jozy
• Josy
• Zeffie

• Josephine Baker
  American-born French dancer, singer and actress (1906–1975)
• Joséphine de Beauharnais
  Empress consort of the French from 1804 to 1814 (1763-1814)
• Josephine Hull
  American stage and film actress (1877-1957)
• Josephine Butler
  British feminist and social reformer fighting to end child prostitution (1828–1906)
• Josephine Cochrane
  American inventor (1839–1913)
• Princess Josephine of Denmark
  Danish princess, youngest child of Frederik X of Denmark and Queen Mary, born 2011
• Josephine Langford
  Australian actress, born 1997
• Josephine Chaplin
  American actress (1949–2023)
• Josephine Skriver
  Danish model (born 1993)
• Josephine Henning
  German footballer, born 1989
• Princess Joséphine Caroline of Belgium
  Belgian Royal (1872–1958)
• Josephine Diebitsch Peary
  American explorer, 1863–1955

• Charlotte
• Sophie
• Jean
• Isabelle
• Esme
• Anne
• Amber
• Caroline
• Louise
• Claire
• Eloise
• Jane
• Margot
• Paige
• Madeleine
• Madeline

All 210 names of French origin

What does the name Josephine mean?

From French Joséphine, diminutive of Josèphe, feminine form of Joseph. By surface analysis, Joseph + -ine. Popularized in English by Josephine Bonaparte, the empress of Napoleonic France.

What is the origin of the name Josephine?

From French Joséphine, diminutive of Josèphe, feminine form of Joseph. By surface analysis, Joseph + -ine. Popularized in English by Josephine Bonaparte, the empress of Napoleonic France.

How popular is the name Josephine?

In 2025, 182 girls born in England and Wales were named Josephine, ranking 256th. Its peak was 1997, with 269 births.

What are nicknames for Josephine?

Common nicknames for Josephine include Jose, Joey, Josie, Joie, Jozy, Josy.

Is Josephine a boy's or a girl's name?

Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 332,458 US babies named Josephine since 1880 were girls.

When was Josephine most popular?

1918 in the United States, when 8,682 babies were named Josephine, its highest rank at 24th.

How do you pronounce Josephine?

Josephine is /ˈd͡ʒoʊ.sə.fiːn/, 3 syllables.

What are other spellings of Josephine?

Jo and Joe.