Girl name · Hebrew
Josephine
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: he will addJosephine is a girl's name that comes from Hebrew and means "he will add". It is used in English, German and French.
- Meaning
- He will add
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #53 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Josephine
As a girl's name, Josephine comes from Hebrew and means "he will add". It is used in English, German and French. In French it is spelled Joséphine.
In French, say zhoh-zay-FEEN. In German, say yo-zeh-FEE-nuh. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Josephine on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Josephine on 8 lists.
“Hebrew for he will add; Josie on the ranch”
From Cowboy names, cowgirl names
“He will add; Hebrew. Say zhoh-zay-FEEN”
From French girl names, classic French girl names
“He will add; Hebrew, a feminine form of Josef. Say yo-zeh-FEE-nuh”
From German girl names, popular German girl names
“Napoleon's empress, for a cat with a commanding stare”
From Female cat names, elegant female cat names
“Napoleon's empress, with Josie for everyday”
From Girl dog names, feminine names for dogs
“He will add; Hebrew. Vintage and stately”
From Girl middle names, classic girl middle names
“He will add; Hebrew. Shared with entertainer and spy Baker”
From Strong female names, strong names worn by trailblazing women
“He will add; Hebrew. Josie or Jo for short”
From Vintage girl names, old fashioned girl names from the 1900s to 1920s
How popular is Josephine?
- US rank in 2025
- #53
- 4,126 babies, 2,567 per million girls
- Best rank
- #21 in 1916
- Most babies: 8,682 in 1918
- Babies since 1880
- At least 331,467
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 5,890 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 5,610 per million |
| 1900s | 6,417 per million |
| 1910s | 7,522 per million |
| 1920s | 5,791 per million |
| 1930s | 3,381 per million |
| 1940s | 1,679 per million |
| 1950s | 853 per million |
| 1960s | 510 per million |
| 1970s | 334 per million |
| 1980s | 276 per million |
| 1990s | 392 per million |
| 2000s | 754 per million |
| 2010s | 1,369 per million |
| 2020s | 2,156 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #114 | #107 | #91 | #90 | #87 | #72 | #70 | #64 | #56 | #53 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Josephine
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Josiecommon English nickname
- Jocommon English nickname
Other forms of Josephine
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- FienHe will add (Hebrew, girl)
- GiuseppaHe will add (Hebrew, girl)
- GiuseppinaHe will add (Hebrew, girl)
- JosefaHe will add (Hebrew, girl)
- JosefinaHe will add (Hebrew, girl)
- JosetteHe will add (Hebrew, girl)
- JosieHe will add (Hebrew, girl)
- JózefaHe will add (Hebrew, girl)
- SeosaimhínHe will add (Hebrew, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- LiamShort for William, will helmet (Germanic, boy)
- IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
- IsmailGod will hear (Hebrew, boy)
- JosephHe will add (Hebrew, boy)
- YusufHe will add (Hebrew, boy)
- EvdokiaGood will (Greek, girl)
- IosifHe will add (Hebrew, boy)
- JoséHe will add (Hebrew, boy)
- AchimGod will raise up (Hebrew, boy)
- BeppeHe will add (Hebrew, boy)
Middle names for Josephine
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Hebrew
- AnnaFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- EvaLiving, life (Hebrew, girl)
- MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
- SarahPrincess, noblewoman (Hebrew, girl)
- EliseGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- LisaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- DanielaGod is my judge (Hebrew, girl)
- ElsaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- HannahFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- IsabelGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
Josephine: common questions
What does the name Josephine mean?
Josephine comes from Hebrew and means "he will add".
Is Josephine a boy or girl name?
Josephine is mainly a girl's name.
What are nicknames for Josephine?
Common nicknames for Josephine include Josie and Jo.
How popular is the name Josephine?
Josephine ranked #53 in the US in 2025, with 4,126 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Josephine?
Forms of Josephine with the same meaning and origin include Fien (Dutch), Giuseppa (Italian), Giuseppina (Italian), Josefa (Spanish) and Josefina (Spanish).
What middle names go with Josephine?
Middle names that flow well with Josephine include Anne, Aoife, Gemma, Grace and Ivy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.