Josephine
From French Joséphine, diminutive of Josèphe, feminine form of Joseph.
Every Josephine since 1880 — 332,458 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Josephine
Josephine is a top-100 name for girls in the United States, ranked #53 in 2025 with 4,126 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 332,458 American babies have been named Josephine. Its peak came in 1918, when 8,709 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Josephine stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Josephine 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 | 4,126 | #53 | — | — |
| 2024 | 3,765 | #56 | — | — |
| 2023 | 3,371 | #64 | 5 | #13,131 |
| 2022 | 3,266 | #70 | — | — |
| 2021 | 3,391 | #72 | — | — |
| 2020 | 3,057 | #87 | — | — |
| 2019 | 3,123 | #90 | — | — |
| 2018 | 3,050 | #91 | — | — |
| 2017 | 2,823 | #107 | — | — |
| 2016 | 2,797 | #114 | — | — |
| 2015 | 2,505 | #131 | — | — |
| 2014 | 2,286 | #147 | — | — |
| 2013 | 2,012 | #160 | — | — |
| 2012 | 1,957 | #160 | — | — |
| 2011 | 1,730 | #182 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,677 | #185 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,628 | #201 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,635 | #208 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,562 | #223 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,548 | #221 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,490 | #229 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,337 | #242 | — | — |
| 2003 | 1,257 | #258 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,198 | #264 | — | — |
| 2001 | 1,153 | #275 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,116 | #288 | — | — |
| 1995 | 700 | #376 | — | — |
| 1990 | 579 | #435 | — | — |
| 1985 | 423 | #485 | — | — |
| 1980 | 502 | #430 | — | — |
| 1975 | 456 | #434 | 6 | #5,111 |
| 1970 | 677 | #363 | — | — |
| 1965 | 863 | #309 | 7 | #3,397 |
| 1960 | 1,157 | #263 | 7 | #3,492 |
| 1955 | 1,595 | #199 | 6 | #3,694 |
| 1950 | 2,093 | #146 | — | — |
| 1945 | 2,146 | #120 | 10 | #2,320 |
| 1940 | 2,744 | #89 | 12 | #2,131 |
| 1935 | 3,262 | #75 | 24 | #1,409 |
| 1930 | 4,988 | #49 | 33 | #1,244 |
| 1925 | 6,810 | #36 | 25 | #1,519 |
| 1920 | 8,093 | #28 | 14 | #2,282 |
| 1915 | 7,606 | #22 | 16 | #1,835 |
| 1910 | 2,801 | #30 | 8 | #1,260 |
| 1905 | 1,894 | #37 | 7 | #1,036 |
| 1900 | 1,743 | #47 | 6 | #1,241 |
| 1895 | 1,334 | #47 | — | — |
| 1890 | 1,118 | #49 | 6 | #946 |
| 1885 | 783 | #48 | 6 | #881 |
| 1880 | 544 | #50 | — | — |
Famous people named Josephine
- Josephine Baker Dancer · 1906–1975
- Josephine of Leuchtenberg Companion · 1807–1876
- Josephine Cochrane Inventor · 1839–1913
- Josephine Bakhita Religious figure · 1868–1947
- Josephine Chaplin Actor · b. 1949
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Josephine mean?
From French Joséphine, diminutive of Josèphe, feminine form of Joseph.
How popular is the name Josephine in 2025?
Josephine ranked #53 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 4,126 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Josephine?
332,458 babies have been named Josephine in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Josephine most popular?
Josephine peaked in 1918, when 8,709 newborns received the name.
Is Josephine a boy or girl name?
Josephine is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Josephine rising or falling?
Josephine is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Josephine?
Well-known people named Josephine include Josephine Baker (dancer), Josephine of Leuchtenberg (companion), Josephine Cochrane (inventor).