Jo
Clipping or hypochoristic form of various female given names beginning with Jo..., primarily Joan, Joanna, etc. but also Josephine and Jolene.
Every Jo since 1881 — 180,911 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Jo
Jo is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #4,028 in 2025 with 36 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 180,911 American babies have been named Jo. Its peak came in 1954, when 8,077 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Jo stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Jo year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36 | #4,028 | 8 | #9,273 |
| 2024 | 34 | #4,247 | 11 | #7,485 |
| 2023 | 47 | #3,400 | 9 | #8,555 |
| 2022 | 36 | #4,075 | — | — |
| 2021 | 42 | #3,641 | — | — |
| 2020 | 35 | #4,048 | 8 | #9,098 |
| 2019 | 34 | #4,209 | — | — |
| 2018 | 40 | #3,758 | 6 | #11,421 |
| 2017 | 40 | #3,808 | 9 | #8,472 |
| 2016 | 34 | #4,298 | 7 | #10,177 |
| 2015 | 27 | #5,043 | — | — |
| 2014 | 18 | #6,842 | 6 | #11,374 |
| 2013 | 15 | #7,950 | — | — |
| 2012 | 18 | #6,987 | 11 | #7,275 |
| 2011 | 14 | #8,395 | 6 | #11,496 |
| 2010 | 6 | #15,876 | 7 | #10,174 |
| 2009 | 18 | #7,185 | — | — |
| 2008 | 17 | #7,557 | 7 | #10,420 |
| 2007 | 18 | #7,234 | 12 | #6,846 |
| 2006 | 25 | #5,453 | 7 | #10,084 |
| 2005 | 17 | #6,975 | — | — |
| 2004 | 18 | #6,616 | 9 | #7,842 |
| 2003 | 29 | #4,467 | 11 | #6,470 |
| 2002 | 29 | #4,329 | 12 | #5,892 |
| 2001 | 28 | #4,372 | 8 | #7,896 |
| 2000 | 24 | #4,870 | 14 | #5,166 |
| 1995 | 58 | #2,293 | 6 | #8,282 |
| 1990 | 85 | #1,725 | 6 | #7,579 |
| 1985 | 171 | #926 | 21 | #2,463 |
| 1980 | 349 | #540 | 17 | #2,786 |
| 1975 | 520 | #392 | 13 | #2,990 |
| 1970 | 1,103 | #272 | 27 | #1,676 |
| 1965 | 1,852 | #183 | 12 | #2,414 |
| 1960 | 3,371 | #134 | 40 | #1,246 |
| 1955 | 7,656 | #58 | 33 | #1,326 |
| 1950 | 5,676 | #64 | 31 | #1,303 |
| 1945 | 4,224 | #60 | 32 | #1,173 |
| 1940 | 3,427 | #72 | 23 | #1,419 |
| 1935 | 3,296 | #73 | 34 | #1,132 |
| 1930 | 1,871 | #131 | 35 | #1,206 |
| 1925 | 635 | #264 | 14 | #2,261 |
| 1920 | 231 | #444 | 25 | #1,528 |
| 1915 | 128 | #571 | 10 | #2,538 |
| 1910 | 40 | #676 | — | — |
| 1905 | 34 | #606 | — | — |
| 1900 | 24 | #753 | — | — |
| 1895 | 11 | #1,017 | — | — |
| 1890 | 7 | #1,146 | — | — |
| 1885 | 11 | #676 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Jo
- Jo Nesbø Writer · b. 1960
- Jo Siffert Racing driver · 1936–1971
- Jo Schlesser Racing driver · 1928–1968
- Jo Van Fleet Actor · 1915–1996
- Jo Bonnier Racing driver · 1930–1972
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jo mean?
Clipping or hypochoristic form of various female given names beginning with Jo..., primarily Joan, Joanna, etc. but also Josephine and Jolene.
How popular is the name Jo in 2025?
Jo ranked #4,028 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 36 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Jo?
180,911 babies have been named Jo in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Jo most popular?
Jo peaked in 1954, when 8,077 newborns received the name.
Is Jo a boy or girl name?
Jo is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Jo rising or falling?
Jo is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Jo?
Well-known people named Jo include Jo Nesbø (writer), Jo Siffert (racing driver), Jo Schlesser (racing driver).