Nameling

Josephine

Gender
Girl
Say it
JOH-ze-feen
Origin
Hebrew
UK rank, 2025
#258 for girls
US rank, 2025
#53 for girls

Vintage revival

Josephine is a girls' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “he will add”. In 2025 it ranked 258th for girls in the UK (198 babies) and 53rd for girls in the US (4,126 babies).

What does Josephine mean?

Hebrew: French feminine of Joseph

“he will add”

Empress Josephine, Napoleon's first wife, was known as Rose until Napoleon began calling her Josephine.

More on Wiktionary.

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

Josephine is a girls' name. In 2025, it was given to 198 girls in the UK and 4,126 girls in the US. Too few boys were given it to be listed.

How popular is Josephine in the UK?

Rank in 2025
#258among girls
Babies in 2025
198about 1 in 1,400 girls
Five-year trend
Steadydown 2% in five years
Same name in a class
under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 198 girls in the UK were named Josephine, making it the 258th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 273rd. Its busiest year was 1997, with 287 girls.

It has been given to more girls each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had more girls named Josephine than any year since 2018.

Half of all the girls named Josephine in the UK since 1996 were born between 2002 and 2017. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.

Among girls in 2025, it was 256th in England and Wales, 387th in Scotland and 205th in Northern Ireland.

In the England and Wales top 100 for girls, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1914 (#95), 1924 (#71), 1934 (#38), 1944 (#44) and 1954 (#70).

1996Busiest: 287 in 19972025
Josephine in the UK, year by year
YearGirlsRank
2025198#258
2024192#268
2023178#277
2022171#295
2021187#279
2020187#273
2019189#281
2018202#270
2017218#256
2016213#266
2015215#255
2014188#279
2013198#266
2012219#252
2011194#278
2010163#318
2009191#274
2008191#277
2007214#262
2006209#253
2005237#224
2004218#235
2003210#239
2002235#206
2001224#205
2000261#185
1999275#185
1998252#190
1997287#178
1996276#176

How popular is Josephine in the US?

Rank in 2025
#53among girls
Babies in 2025
4,126about 1 in 390 girls
Five-year trend
Steadyup 22% in five years
Same name in a class
3.5%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 4,126 girls in the US were named Josephine, making it the 53rd most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 87th. Its busiest year was 1918, with 8,682 girls.

It has been given to more girls each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had more girls named Josephine than any year since 1931.

Half of all the girls named Josephine in the US since 1880 were born between 1917 and 1961, the years shaded on the chart below.

1880Busiest: 8,682 in 19182025
Josephine in the US, year by year
YearGirlsRank
20254,126#53
20243,765#56
20233,371#64
20223,266#70
20213,391#72
20203,057#87
20193,123#90
20183,050#91
20172,823#107
20162,797#114
20152,505#131
20142,286#147
20132,012#160
20121,957#160
20111,730#181
20101,677#185
20091,628#201
20081,635#208
20071,562#223
20061,548#221
20051,490#229
20041,337#242
20031,257#258
20021,198#264
20011,153#275
20001,116#287
1999989#312
1998840#347
1997784#353
1996725#371
1995700#375
1994648#390
1993596#418
1992591#427
1991607#421
1990579#434
1989527#459
1988503#451
1987436#497
1986456#470
1985423#485
1984437#471
1983480#438
1982491#440
1981477#451
1980502#430
1979437#462
1978457#438
1977442#451
1976431#449
1975456#433
1974536#389
1973535#383
1972580#372
1971603#381
1970677#363
1969699#338
1968693#332
1967744#319
1966838#306
1965863#309
1964962#297
19631,054#281
19621,103#269
19611,204#258
19601,157#263
19591,177#257
19581,274#239
19571,442#221
19561,485#210
19551,595#199
19541,719#186
19531,799#172
19521,862#169
19511,966#157
19502,093#146
19492,163#143
19482,230#134
19472,351#133
19462,228#127
19452,146#120
19442,324#115
19432,664#108
19422,748#100
19412,726#92
19402,744#89
19392,837#84
19382,978#83
19372,942#82
19363,141#77
19353,262#75
19343,742#60
19333,569#62
19324,095#57
19314,497#51
19304,988#49
19295,298#45
19285,671#42
19276,108#39
19266,410#37
19256,810#36
19247,274#34
19237,560#30
19227,864#27
19218,135#28
19208,093#28
19198,104#26
19188,682#24
19178,326#21
19168,127#21
19157,606#22
19145,896#23
19134,822#24
19123,980#28
19113,011#29
19102,801#30
19092,416#31
19082,389#28
19072,156#33
19061,900#38
19051,894#37
19041,701#40
19031,587#40
19021,565#42
19011,434#43
19001,743#47
18991,388#44
18981,425#46
18971,267#47
18961,256#50
18951,334#47
18941,256#48
18931,178#50
18921,210#49
18911,031#49
18901,118#49
18891,047#49
18881,001#49
1887815#50
1886844#47
1885783#47
1884800#45
1883697#46
1882638#49
1881563#48
1880544#50

Nicknames for Josephine

Names like Josephine

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Alice Elizabeth Annie Josie Charlotte Hazel Madeline Naomi Elsie Madeleine Eloise Isabelle

Other spellings of Josephine

Josefine

Names related to Josephine

Josephina Josefina Josaphine

More Hebrew names

Noah Isabella Elijah James Jack Mia Ava Jude Ezra Benjamin Isaac Jacob Ethan Daniel Samuel Elias

Every Hebrew name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Josephine: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/josephine, updated 20 October 2026.