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🔥Josephine

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French feminine variation of Joseph
"Jehovah increases"

Josephine Origin and Meaning

The name Josephine is a girl's name of French origin meaning "Jehovah increases".

Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing number of vivacious nicknames, from Jo to Josie to Fifi to Posy, Josephine is a Nameberry favorite.

Josephine is the feminine form of Joseph, a name ultimately derived from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning "Jehovah increases." In French it has an accent over the first E, which was omitted in the English, German, and Dutch translations of the name. Empress Joséphine du Beauharnais was born Marie-Josephe-Rose, but called Josephine by her husband, Napolean Bonaparte.

Josephine Baker (born Freda), the American-French singer, dancer, and civil rights activist, is a potential namesake.

Some of the Josephines in literature and recent pop culture are known by their nicknames—the admirably headstrong Jo in Little Women, Joey Potter (played by Katie Holmes) in Dawson's Creek, and Josie of Josie and the Pussycats. In Some Like it Hot, Josephine was the nom de femme of Tony Curtis.

Josephines have been the subjects of countless songs, performed by artists ranging from Fats Domino to Tori Amos to the Black Crowes.

# 70 in the US

Josephine Rank in US Top 1000

# 33 on Nameberry

Josephine Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Josephine Popularity

20 Names Similar to Josephine

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Josephine.

Famous People Named Josephine

  • Josephine de Beauharnais (born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie)Empress of France, wife of Napoleon
  • Josephine of LeuchtenbergQueen of Sweden and Norway
  • JoséphineCharlotte Stéphanie Ingeborg Elisabeth Marie,José Marguerite Astrid, Princess of Belgium; Grand Duchess consort of Jean of Luxembourg
  • Josephine Friederike LuisePrincess of Baden; Princess of Hohenzollern
  • Joséphine Caroline Marie AlbertinePrincess of Belgium
  • (Marie) Joséphine ThérèsePrincess of Lorraine; Princess of Carignan
  • Josephine Elizabeth ButlerEnglish feminist and reformer
  • Josephine FosterAmerican folk singer
  • Josephine Clara GoldmarkAmerican reformer
  • (Freda) Josephine BakerAmerican singer/dancer/actress
  • Joséphine Marie Stéphanie VictoirePrincess of Belgium; twin of sister Henriette Marie Charlotte Antoinette; daughter of Princes Philippe of Flanders
  • Josephine Teypen name of Scottish novelist Elizabeth Mackintosh
  • Josephine SiaoHong Kong actress
  • Josephine St. Pierre RuffinAmerican journalist
  • Josephine Preston PeabodyAmerican writer
  • Josephine SkriverDanish model
  • Josephine "Josie" GriffithsEnglish actress
  • Josephine TomicAustralian cyclist
  • Josephine "Josie" Cohan NibloAmerican actress
  • Josephine Archer Cameron (b. 1993)daughter of director James Cameron and actress Linda Hamilton
  • Josephine Colette Almond (b. 2006)Daughter of author Steve Almond
  • Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda (b. 2011)Princess of Denmark; Countess of Monpezat; daughter of Crown Prince Frederik; twin of brother Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander
  • Josephine Elizabeth WeilAdelstein (b. 2011), daughter of actress Liza Weil and Paul Adelstein
  • Josephine Kate Gavigan (b. 2016)daughter of actress Jessica Capshaw
  • Joséphine JobertFrench actress and singer
  • Josephine LangfordAustralian actress

Josephine in Pop Culture

  • Josephine "Jo" Marchcharacter in Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women"
  • Josephine "Josie" McCoycharacter in the "Josie and the Pussycats" series, the Archie comics, and the TV show Riverdale
  • Josephine "Joey" Pottercharacter on TV's "Dawson's Creek"
  • Josephine LaRuecharacter on TV's "The Originals"
  • Dr. Josephine "Jo" Wilsoncharacter on TV's "Grey's Anatomy"
  • Josephine "Josie" Alibrandicharacter in Melina Marchetta's "Looking for Alibrandi"
  • Josephine Barrycharacter in L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series
  • Josephine Muscatcharacter in Joanne Harris' "Chocolat"
  • Aunt Josephine Anwhistlecharacter from Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events"
  • Grandma Josephinecharacter in Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
  • Josephine "Josie" Cormiercharacter in "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult
  • Josephine "Josie" Griffincharacter in "Josie Griffin is Not a Vampire" by Heather Swain
  • Josephine "Josie" Jonescharacter on British TV series "Fresh Meat"
  • Josephine Bellcharacter in "The House Girl" by Tara Conklin
  • Josephine Cherette Montilyeta major character in the video game "Dragon Age: Inquisition"
  • Josephine Delamarremain character on French TV's "Joséphine, ange gardien"
  • Josephine "Josie" Sheridancharacter in Erin McCahan's "Love and Other Foreign Words"
  • "Come Josephine in My Flying Machine" 1911 popular song written by Fred Fisher and Alfred Bryan
  • "Josephine" song by Brandi Carlile
  • "Josephine" song by Stefie Shock
  • Josephine "Josie" Abaddon's vessel on "Supernatural"
  • "Josephine" song by The Wallflowers
  • Josephine "Joey" Mullencharacter in "Watching you" a novel by Lisa Jewell