Josephine

#53 for girls in 2025, 4,126 births · Last seen for boys in 2023 at #12,239
Given to girls 99.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1917 · 8,326 births
Debut · girls
544 births
In top 100 · girls
71 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
331,467
since 1880

Josephine over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201917peak #21, 1917girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#534,126—
2024#563,765—
2023#643,371#12,2395
2022#703,266—
2021#723,391—
2020#873,057—
2019#903,123—
2018#913,050—
2017#1072,823—
2016#1142,797—
2015#1312,505—
2014#1472,286—
2013#1602,012—
2012#1601,957—
2011#1811,730—
2010#1851,677—
2009#2011,628—
2008#2081,635—
2007#2231,562—
2006#2211,548—
2005#2291,490—
2004#2421,337—
2003#2581,257—
2002#2641,198—
2001#2751,153—
2000#2871,116—
1999#312989—
1998#347840—
1997#353784—
1996#371725—
1995#375700—
1994#390648—
1993#418596—
1992#427591—
1991#421607—
1990#435579—
1989#459527#5,1659
1988#451503#7,2705
1987#497436—
1986#470456—
1985#485423—
1984#471437—
1983#438480—
1982#440491—
1981#451477—
1980#430502—
1979#462437—
1978#438457—
1977#451442—
1976#449431—
1975#433456#4,7976
1974#389536—
1973#383535—
1972#372580—
1971#381603—
1970#363677—
1969#338699—
1968#332693—
1967#319744—
1966#306838—
1965#309863#3,2447
1964#297962#2,8549
1963#2811,054#3,6466
1962#2691,103#4,0335
1961#2581,204#3,3567
1960#2631,157#3,3377
1959#2571,177—
1958#2391,274#3,9445
1957#2211,442—
1956#2101,485#2,7989
1955#1991,595#3,5056
1954#1861,719#3,1767
1953#1721,799#2,9058
1952#1691,862#3,3736
1951#1571,966#2,6629
1950#1462,093—
1949#1432,163—
1948#1342,230#3,0107
1947#1332,351—
1946#1272,228#3,1736
1945#1202,146#2,24210
1944#1152,324#1,98813
1943#1082,664#1,91015
1942#1002,748#1,73017
1941#922,726#1,53220
1940#892,744#2,08112
1939#842,837#1,42522
1938#832,978#1,36424
1937#822,942#1,31326
1936#773,141#1,32625
1935#753,262#1,39024
1934#603,742#1,55120
1933#623,569#1,54020
1932#574,095#1,11037
1931#514,497#1,12836
1930#494,988#1,23533
1929#455,298#1,41326
1928#425,671#1,32330
1927#396,108#1,29332
1926#376,410#1,84618
1925#366,810#1,49325
1924#347,274#1,96417
1923#307,560#2,12315
1922#277,864#1,59123
1921#288,135#1,70321
1920#288,093#2,23114
1919#268,104#1,69520
1918#248,682#1,37327
1917#218,326#1,75518
1916#218,127#1,94915
1915#227,606#1,78216
1914#235,896#1,49217
1913#244,822#1,49713
1912#283,980#1,61910
1911#293,011#89614
1910#302,801#1,1938
1909#312,416#89311
1908#282,389#1,0218
1907#332,156#9998
1906#381,900#9278
1905#371,894#1,0027
1904#401,701—
1903#401,587#65612
1902#421,565#9337
1901#431,434#7798
1900#471,743#1,1626
1899#441,388#9286
1898#461,425—
1897#471,267#8527
1896#501,256#9007
1895#471,334—
1894#481,256—
1893#501,178—
1892#491,210#9566
1891#491,031#9635
1890#491,118#8846
1889#491,047#8786
1888#491,001#1,0315
1887#50815—
1886#47844—
1885#47783#8366
1884#45800—
1883#46697—
1882#49638—
1881#48563—
1880#50544—
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Josephine was already there! It came in at #50, and was given to 544 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1971–1993, when fewer than 610 girls a year got the name.

Where Josephine is popular in 1917

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedAKMaine: #61 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 233 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: #43 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 142 girlsNHWashington: #63 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 223 girlsWAIdaho: #50 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 179 girlsIDMontana: #46 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 165 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #51 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 169 girlsNDMinnesota: #46 for girls · 127 births · 1 in 170 girlsMNIllinois: #21 for girls · 624 births · 1 in 93 girlsILWisconsin: #36 for girls · 165 births · 1 in 141 girlsWIMichigan: #23 for girls · 310 births · 1 in 110 girlsMINew York: #12 for girls · 1,500 births · 1 in 65 girlsNYMassachusetts: #21 for girls · 424 births · 1 in 83 girlsMARhode Island: #14 for girls · 79 births · 1 in 65 girlsRIOregon: #35 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 152 girlsORNevada: #12 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 36 girlsNVWyoming: #30 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 106 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #45 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 166 girlsSDIowa: #49 for girls · 108 births · 1 in 191 girlsIAIndiana: #33 for girls · 169 births · 1 in 144 girlsINOhio: #26 for girls · 398 births · 1 in 127 girlsOHPennsylvania: #14 for girls · 1,148 births · 1 in 81 girlsPANew Jersey: #13 for girls · 455 births · 1 in 66 girlsNJConnecticut: #9 for girls · 260 births · 1 in 55 girlsCTCalifornia: #19 for girls · 214 births · 1 in 97 girlsCAUtah: #48 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 179 girlsUTColorado: #15 for girls · 85 births · 1 in 86 girlsCONebraska: #46 for girls · 70 births · 1 in 169 girlsNEMissouri: #38 for girls · 161 births · 1 in 177 girlsMOKentucky: #73 for girls · 89 births · 1 in 278 girlsKYWest Virginia: #36 for girls · 95 births · 1 in 170 girlsWVVirginia: #62 for girls · 104 births · 1 in 241 girlsVAMaryland: #37 for girls · 87 births · 1 in 146 girlsMDDelaware: #22 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 90 girlsDEArizona: #10 for girls · 44 births · 1 in 64 girlsAZNew Mexico: #10 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 78 girlsNMKansas: #37 for girls · 98 births · 1 in 153 girlsKSArkansas: #70 for girls · 66 births · 1 in 273 girlsARTennessee: #70 for girls · 85 births · 1 in 287 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #73 for girls · 117 births · 1 in 269 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #70 for girls · 85 births · 1 in 230 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #40 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 160 girlsDCOklahoma: #58 for girls · 89 births · 1 in 223 girlsOKLouisiana: #30 for girls · 135 births · 1 in 139 girlsLAMississippi: #54 for girls · 84 births · 1 in 210 girlsMSAlabama: #85 for girls · 79 births · 1 in 315 girlsALGeorgia: #87 for girls · 94 births · 1 in 332 girlsGAHawaii: #31 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 115 girlsHITexas: #47 for girls · 209 births · 1 in 226 girlsTXFlorida: #36 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 149 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Connecticut#9 · 1 in 55
  2. Arizona#10 · 1 in 64
  3. New Mexico#10 · 1 in 78
  4. Nevada#12 · 1 in 36
  5. New York#12 · 1 in 65

Best ever in a state: #2 in Nevada, 1912.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Connecticut#92601 in 55
Arizona#10441 in 64
New Mexico#10411 in 78
Nevada#1271 in 36
New York#121,5001 in 65
New Jersey#134551 in 66
Pennsylvania#141,1481 in 81
Rhode Island#14791 in 65
Colorado#15851 in 86
California#192141 in 97
Illinois#216241 in 93
Massachusetts#214241 in 83
Delaware#22201 in 90
Michigan#233101 in 110
Ohio#263981 in 127
Louisiana#301351 in 139
Wyoming#30121 in 106
Hawaii#31231 in 115
Indiana#331691 in 144
Oregon#35321 in 152
Florida#36601 in 149
West Virginia#36951 in 170
Wisconsin#361651 in 141
Kansas#37981 in 153
Maryland#37871 in 146
Missouri#381611 in 177
District of Columbia#40161 in 160
New Hampshire#43221 in 142
South Dakota#45371 in 166
Minnesota#461271 in 170
Montana#46361 in 165
Nebraska#46701 in 169
Texas#472091 in 226
Utah#48261 in 179
Iowa#491081 in 191
Idaho#50211 in 179
North Dakota#51461 in 169
Mississippi#54841 in 210
Oklahoma#58891 in 223
Maine#61261 in 233
Virginia#621041 in 241
Washington#63391 in 223
Arkansas#70661 in 273
South Carolina#70851 in 230
Tennessee#70851 in 287
Kentucky#73891 in 278
North Carolina#731171 in 269
Alabama#85791 in 315
Georgia#87941 in 332
Alaska———
Vermont———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Josephine
Momentum · girls
Rising
  • 3 spots since 2024 (#56 → #53)
  • 34 spots since 2020 (#87 → #53)
  • 78 spots since 2015 (#131 → #53)
  • Biggest jump: 46 spots in 1988 (#497 → #451)
  • Biggest drop: 44 spots in 1975 (#389 → #433)
Rise & fade · girls
37 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1917 at #21 (8,326 births)
  • Births halved by 1932, 15 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 71 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 71 yrs · run 1880–1942
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 129
  • Highest: 1 in 129 girls born in 1916 were named Josephine (0.78%)
  • Latest: 1 in 390 girls born in 2025 (0.26%)
  • Its best rank, #21 in 1917, was only 1 in 130 (0.77%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 20.9% of all girls named Josephine (69,223) were born in this decade
  • Comeback: #21 (1917) → #497 (1987) → #53 (2025)
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s7,732#45 (1884)#48
1890s12,463#44 (1899)#48
1900s18,785#28 (1908)#38
1910s61,355#21 (1917)#25
1920s69,223#27 (1922)#35
1930s36,051#49 (1930)#68
1940s24,324#89 (1940)#116
1950s16,412#146 (1950)#196
1960s9,317#258 (1961)#297
1970s5,154#363 (1970)#412
1980s4,732#430 (1980)#459
1990s7,059#312 (1999)#385
2000s13,924#201 (2009)#241
2010s23,960#90 (2019)#137
2020s20,976#53 (2025)#67

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Josephine in 1917

girls
#21
8,326 births · 1 in 130 girls
boys
#1,755
18 births · 1 in 51,416 boys

Top girls' names in 1917

  1. #1Mary64,280
  2. #2Helen34,251
  3. #3Dorothy28,852
  4. #4Margaret25,560
  5. #5Ruth23,568
  6. #6Mildred16,256
  7. #7Anna15,160
  8. #8Elizabeth15,131
  9. #9Frances14,363
  10. #10Virginia14,261
  11. #21Josephine8,326

Top boys' names in 1917

  1. #1John51,852
  2. #2William42,422
  3. #3James37,337
  4. #4Robert35,220
  5. #5Joseph24,761
  6. #6George24,196
  7. #7Charles24,143
  8. #8Edward17,501
  9. #9Frank15,768
  10. #10Thomas12,611
  11. #1,755Josephine18
More about 1917

girls

1,081,267 girls got a published name in 1917; 1 in 130 of them was named Josephine, which outranked 99.6% of the 5,310 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Josephine
  1. #18Catherine8,689
  2. #19Louise8,584
  3. #20Edna8,422
  4. #21Josephine8,326
  5. #22Martha8,261
  6. #23Gladys8,075
  7. #24Ethel7,865
Biggest movers since 1916
Risers
  1. ↑ 549Georgene#1,445 → #896
  2. ↑ 380Ottie#1,332 → #952
  3. ↑ 365Louis#1,298 → #933
  4. ↑ 334Valentine#1,298 → #964
  5. ↑ 322Harold#1,210 → #888
Fallers
  1. ↓ 401Ceola#840 → #1,241
  2. ↓ 373Floretta#964 → #1,337
  3. ↓ 344Buelah#993 → #1,337
  4. ↓ 326Glennie#915 → #1,241
  5. ↓ 290Maye#915 → #1,205

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

925,482 boys got a published name in 1917; 1 in 51,416 of them was named Josephine, which outranked 61.9% of the 4,602 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.9% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Josephine
  1. #1,693Vaughan19
  2. #1,693Wells19
  3. #1,693Woodford19
  4. #1,755Josephine18
  5. #1,755Adell18
  6. #1,755Anselmo18
  7. #1,755Arlen18
  8. #1,815Ace17
  9. #1,815Achille17
  10. #1,815Atwood17

Tied with 59 names at #1,755; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1916
Risers
  1. ↑ 520Nicolas#1,304 → #784
  2. ↑ 469Hezekiah#1,415 → #946
  3. ↑ 433Hilliard#1,415 → #982
  4. ↑ 404Rayford#1,304 → #900
  5. ↑ 338Minoru#1,335 → #997
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,738Tatsuo#824 → #2,562
  2. ↓ 709Berlin#984 → #1,693
  3. ↓ 556Prentice#972 → #1,528
  4. ↓ 473Manning#964 → #1,437
  5. ↓ 457Lovell#939 → #1,396

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1917 →