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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201940peak #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 1940

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedAKMaine: #133 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 684 girlsMEVermont: #108 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 503 girlsVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedNHWashington: #159 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 826 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedIDMontana: #134 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 535 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #158 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 760 girlsNDMinnesota: #146 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 908 girlsMNIllinois: #90 for girls · 132 births · 1 in 426 girlsILWisconsin: #118 for girls · 33 births · 1 in 733 girlsWIMichigan: #96 for girls · 91 births · 1 in 481 girlsMINew York: #53 for girls · 437 births · 1 in 205 girlsNYMassachusetts: #84 for girls · 83 births · 1 in 354 girlsMARhode Island: #131 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 647 girlsRIOregon: #188 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,189 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedNVWyoming: #100 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 331 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #139 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 674 girlsSDIowa: #135 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 857 girlsIAIndiana: #140 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 895 girlsINOhio: #129 for girls · 73 births · 1 in 722 girlsOHPennsylvania: #84 for girls · 224 births · 1 in 335 girlsPANew Jersey: #65 for girls · 107 births · 1 in 241 girlsNJConnecticut: #57 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 201 girlsCTCalifornia: #84 for girls · 131 births · 1 in 381 girlsCAUtah: #116 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 501 girlsUTColorado: #58 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 239 girlsCONebraska: #154 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 925 girlsNEMissouri: #104 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 528 girlsMOKentucky: #117 for girls · 52 births · 1 in 551 girlsKYWest Virginia: #124 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 592 girlsWVVirginia: #97 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 412 girlsVAMaryland: #84 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 361 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedDEArizona: #46 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 179 girlsAZNew Mexico: #52 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 202 girlsNMKansas: #188 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,367 girlsKSArkansas: #109 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 490 girlsARTennessee: #115 for girls · 51 births · 1 in 552 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #89 for girls · 107 births · 1 in 352 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #74 for girls · 75 births · 1 in 292 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #91 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 361 girlsDCOklahoma: #191 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 1,008 girlsOKLouisiana: #99 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 366 girlsLAMississippi: #77 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 306 girlsMSAlabama: #80 for girls · 96 births · 1 in 308 girlsALGeorgia: #104 for girls · 76 births · 1 in 418 girlsGAHawaii: #29 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 113 girlsHITexas: #72 for girls · 169 births · 1 in 356 girlsTXFlorida: #66 for girls · 50 births · 1 in 296 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Hawaii#29 · 1 in 113
  2. Arizona#46 · 1 in 179
  3. New Mexico#52 · 1 in 202
  4. New York#53 · 1 in 205
  5. Connecticut#57 · 1 in 201

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Hawaii#29301 in 113
Arizona#46271 in 179
New Mexico#52291 in 202
New York#534371 in 205
Connecticut#57531 in 201
Colorado#58381 in 239
New Jersey#651071 in 241
Florida#66501 in 296
Texas#721691 in 356
South Carolina#74751 in 292
Mississippi#77741 in 306
Alabama#80961 in 308
California#841311 in 381
Maryland#84361 in 361
Massachusetts#84831 in 354
Pennsylvania#842241 in 335
North Carolina#891071 in 352
Illinois#901321 in 426
District of Columbia#91171 in 361
Michigan#96911 in 481
Virginia#97601 in 412
Louisiana#99641 in 366
Wyoming#10051 in 331
Georgia#104761 in 418
Missouri#104531 in 528
Vermont#10851 in 503
Arkansas#109391 in 490
Tennessee#115511 in 552
Utah#116101 in 501
Kentucky#117521 in 551
Wisconsin#118331 in 733
West Virginia#124321 in 592
Ohio#129731 in 722
Rhode Island#13171 in 647
Maine#13391 in 684
Montana#13481 in 535
Iowa#135231 in 857
South Dakota#13971 in 674
Indiana#140301 in 895
Minnesota#146251 in 908
Nebraska#154101 in 925
North Dakota#15871 in 760
Washington#159141 in 826
Kansas#18891 in 1,367
Oregon#18861 in 1,189
Oklahoma#191201 in 1,008
Alaska———
Delaware———
Idaho———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———

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 1940

girls
#89
2,744 births · 1 in 417 girls
boys
#2,081
12 births · 1 in 96,598 boys

Top girls' names in 1940

  1. #1Mary56,216
  2. #2Barbara36,736
  3. #3Patricia32,665
  4. #4Judith22,385
  5. #5Betty22,077
  6. #6Carol21,759
  7. #7Nancy19,737
  8. #8Linda18,370
  9. #9Shirley17,881
  10. #10Sandra16,153
  11. #89Josephine2,744

Top boys' names in 1940

  1. #1James62,481
  2. #2Robert61,198
  3. #3John54,786
  4. #4William44,779
  5. #5Richard37,425
  6. #6Charles31,689
  7. #7David27,690
  8. #8Thomas23,991
  9. #9Donald23,115
  10. #10Ronald20,741
  11. #2,081Josephine12
More about 1940

girls

1,143,528 girls got a published name in 1940; 1 in 417 of them was named Josephine, which outranked 98.2% of the 5,028 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Josephine
  1. #86Edna2,835
  2. #87Anita2,828
  3. #88Connie2,795
  4. #89Josephine2,744
  5. #90Jeanette2,727
  6. #91Julia2,709
  7. #91Katherine2,709
Biggest movers since 1939
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,494Scarlett#3,429 → #935
  2. ↑ 1,465Lonna#2,206 → #741
  3. ↑ 834Pam#1,797 → #963
  4. ↑ 659Jody#1,638 → #979
  5. ↑ 633Laraine#1,474 → #841
Fallers
  1. ↓ 481Fredia#996 → #1,477
  2. ↓ 430Eleanora#974 → #1,404
  3. ↓ 375Danielle#811 → #1,186
  4. ↓ 342Eloisa#930 → #1,272
  5. ↓ 298Coral#996 → #1,294

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

boys

1,159,172 boys got a published name in 1940; 1 in 96,598 of them was named Josephine, which outranked 47.1% of the 3,937 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Josephine
  1. #1,983Wray13
  2. #1,983Wynn13
  3. #1,983Young13
  4. #2,081Josephine12
  5. #2,081Adron12
  6. #2,081Almer12
  7. #2,081Americo12
  8. #2,179Adrien11
  9. #2,179Allard11
  10. #2,179Alston11

Tied with 97 names at #2,081; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1939
Risers
  1. ↑ 565Whitney#1,458 → #893
  2. ↑ 447Gonzalo#1,297 → #850
  3. ↑ 419Weston#1,323 → #904
  4. ↑ 368Ashley#1,272 → #904
  5. ↑ 366Agustin#1,238 → #872
Fallers
  1. ↓ 886Montie#916 → #1,802
  2. ↓ 446Verlon#888 → #1,334
  3. ↓ 394Issac#857 → #1,251
  4. ↓ 392Otho#942 → #1,334
  5. ↓ 384Pearl#867 → #1,251

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

See the top 100 for 1940 →