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At a Glance: Name: Josephine – Meaning: may he (God) add — inherited from Joseph – Origin: French (feminine diminutive of Joseph, ultimately Hebrew) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: JOH-zeh-feen
Josephine is the French feminine form of Joseph, tracing back to Hebrew, and carries the same inherited meaning: "may he add." It's pronounced JOH-zeh-feen, and on the style side it lands as romantic, storybook and vintage with a timeless, classic feel. If you're drawn to names with a classic, old-world shape rather than a modern one, Josephine fits that lane.
Meaning & Origin of Josephine
Meaning: May he (god) add — inherited from joseph.
Origin: French (feminine diminutive of Joseph, ultimately Hebrew).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Josephine
Phonetic: JOH-zeh-feen IPA: /ˈdʒoʊzəfiːn/
Popularity of Josephine
Josephine peaked at #21 in 1916, when 8,127 baby girls were given the name, and has settled at #56 in 2024 with 3,746 — still a well-used classic, just further from its early-1900s high point, based on Social Security data spanning 1880-2024.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Josephine Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Josephine, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Josephine mean?
May he (god) add — inherited from joseph. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Josephine)
How do you pronounce Josephine?
Josephine is pronounced JOH-zeh-feen (IPA: /ˈdʒoʊzəfiːn/).
Is Josephine a popular name right now?
Josephine peaked at #21 in 1916 and is ranked #56 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Josephine? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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