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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201978peak #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 1978

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #105 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 356 girlsAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedNHWashington: #330 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,086 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #449 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 4,423 girlsMNIllinois: #340 for girls · 33 births · 1 in 2,149 girlsILWisconsin: #431 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 4,138 girlsWIMichigan: #605 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 5,755 girlsMINew York: #210 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 1,117 girlsNYMassachusetts: #372 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,966 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedIAIndiana: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedINOhio: #1,005 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 13,791 girlsOHPennsylvania: #449 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 3,883 girlsPANew Jersey: #343 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 2,134 girlsNJConnecticut: #349 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,365 girlsCTCalifornia: #397 for girls · 65 births · 1 in 2,359 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedUTColorado: #250 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,330 girlsCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedNEMissouri: #372 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,787 girlsMOKentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedWVVirginia: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedDEArizona: #462 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,731 girlsAZNew Mexico: #185 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 744 girlsNMKansas: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedARTennessee: #498 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,981 girlsTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedOKLouisiana: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedALGeorgia: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedGAHawaii: #250 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 910 girlsHITexas: #324 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 1,814 girlsTXFlorida: #650 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 4,891 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Alaska#105 · 1 in 356
  2. New Mexico#185 · 1 in 744
  3. New York#210 · 1 in 1,117
  4. Hawaii#250 · 1 in 910
  5. Colorado#250 · 1 in 1,330

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Alaska#10571 in 356
New Mexico#185111 in 744
New York#210881 in 1,117
Colorado#250131 in 1,330
Hawaii#25051 in 910
Texas#324571 in 1,814
Washington#330111 in 2,086
Illinois#340331 in 2,149
New Jersey#343171 in 2,134
Connecticut#34961 in 2,365
Massachusetts#372101 in 2,966
Missouri#372111 in 2,787
California#397651 in 2,359
Wisconsin#43171 in 4,138
Minnesota#44961 in 4,423
Pennsylvania#449171 in 3,883
Arizona#46261 in 2,731
Tennessee#49871 in 3,981
Michigan#605101 in 5,755
Florida#65091 in 4,891
Ohio#1,00551 in 13,791
Alabama———
Arkansas———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Georgia———
Idaho———
Indiana———
Iowa———
Kansas———
Kentucky———
Louisiana———
Maine———
Maryland———
Mississippi———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
North Carolina———
North Dakota———
Oklahoma———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
Virginia———
West Virginia———
Wyoming———

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 1978

girls
#438
457 births · 1 in 3,352 girls

Top girls' names in 1978

  1. #1Jennifer56,314
  2. #2Melissa28,327
  3. #3Jessica26,102
  4. #4Amy23,213
  5. #5Heather22,270
  6. #6Amanda20,520
  7. #7Angela20,517
  8. #8Sarah19,976
  9. #9Michelle18,856
  10. #10Nicole17,279
  11. #438Josephine457
More about 1978

girls

1,531,859 girls got a published name in 1978; 1 in 3,352 of them was named Josephine, which outranked 96.2% of the 11,475 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Josephine
  1. #435Rhiannon460
  2. #436Genevieve458
  3. #436Lynette458
  4. #438Josephine457
  5. #439Kizzy456
  6. #439Marlene456
  7. #441Lacy453
Biggest movers since 1977
Risers
  1. ↑ 4,240Aja#4,652 → #412
  2. ↑ 1,987Kiley#2,606 → #619
  3. ↑ 1,951Kylee#2,838 → #887
  4. ↑ 1,785Winter#2,780 → #995
  5. ↑ 1,620Kylie#2,026 → #406
Fallers
  1. ↓ 913Shalon#868 → #1,781
  2. ↓ 760Farah#854 → #1,614
  3. ↓ 519Tennille#462 → #981
  4. ↓ 398Shawnte#740 → #1,138
  5. ↓ 362Farrah#177 → #539

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

See the top 100 for 1978 →