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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201951peak #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 1951

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedAKMaine: #216 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,469 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedNHWashington: #338 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 3,226 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: #219 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,391 girlsNDMinnesota: #190 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,700 girlsMNIllinois: #172 for girls · 81 births · 1 in 1,134 girlsILWisconsin: #213 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 2,070 girlsWIMichigan: #163 for girls · 67 births · 1 in 1,171 girlsMINew York: #104 for girls · 323 births · 1 in 464 girlsNYMassachusetts: #158 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 1,131 girlsMARhode Island: #138 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 878 girlsRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedNVWyoming: #105 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 396 girlsWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedSDIowa: #325 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 3,681 girlsIAIndiana: #242 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 2,159 girlsINOhio: #200 for girls · 56 births · 1 in 1,631 girlsOHPennsylvania: #161 for girls · 114 births · 1 in 952 girlsPANew Jersey: #121 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 644 girlsNJConnecticut: #150 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 970 girlsCTCalifornia: #149 for girls · 170 births · 1 in 711 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedUTColorado: #135 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 624 girlsCONebraska: #265 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,380 girlsNEMissouri: #223 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 1,789 girlsMOKentucky: #190 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 1,305 girlsKYWest Virginia: #218 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,638 girlsWVVirginia: #179 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 1,103 girlsVAMaryland: #207 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,372 girlsMDDelaware: #132 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 631 girlsDEArizona: #92 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 362 girlsAZNew Mexico: #71 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 245 girlsNMKansas: #290 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,441 girlsKSArkansas: #219 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,375 girlsARTennessee: #155 for girls · 40 births · 1 in 948 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #151 for girls · 63 births · 1 in 802 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #114 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 459 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #167 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 907 girlsDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Josephine, so not publishedOKLouisiana: #139 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 644 girlsLAMississippi: #84 for girls · 81 births · 1 in 353 girlsMSAlabama: #118 for girls · 66 births · 1 in 554 girlsALGeorgia: #162 for girls · 54 births · 1 in 795 girlsGAHawaii: #121 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 436 girlsHITexas: #118 for girls · 178 births · 1 in 573 girlsTXFlorida: #178 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 964 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. New Mexico#71 · 1 in 245
  2. Mississippi#84 · 1 in 353
  3. Arizona#92 · 1 in 362
  4. New York#104 · 1 in 464
  5. Wyoming#105 · 1 in 396

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
New Mexico#71391 in 245
Mississippi#84811 in 353
Arizona#92271 in 362
New York#1043231 in 464
Wyoming#10571 in 396
South Carolina#114621 in 459
Alabama#118661 in 554
Texas#1181781 in 573
Hawaii#121121 in 436
New Jersey#121721 in 644
Delaware#13251 in 631
Colorado#135251 in 624
Rhode Island#13891 in 878
Louisiana#139551 in 644
California#1491701 in 711
Connecticut#150191 in 970
North Carolina#151631 in 802
Tennessee#155401 in 948
Massachusetts#158411 in 1,131
Pennsylvania#1611141 in 952
Georgia#162541 in 795
Michigan#163671 in 1,171
District of Columbia#167141 in 907
Illinois#172811 in 1,134
Florida#178321 in 964
Virginia#179341 in 1,103
Kentucky#190261 in 1,305
Minnesota#190211 in 1,700
Ohio#200561 in 1,631
Maryland#207181 in 1,372
Wisconsin#213191 in 2,070
Maine#21661 in 1,469
West Virginia#218141 in 1,638
Arkansas#219151 in 1,375
North Dakota#21951 in 1,391
Missouri#223231 in 1,789
Indiana#242211 in 2,159
Nebraska#26561 in 2,380
Kansas#29081 in 2,441
Iowa#32581 in 3,681
Washington#33881 in 3,226
Alaska———
Idaho———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
Oklahoma———
Oregon———
South Dakota———
Utah———
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 1951

girls
#157
1,966 births · 1 in 916 girls
boys
#2,662
9 births · 1 in 209,204 boys

Top girls' names in 1951

  1. #1Linda73,982
  2. #2Mary65,721
  3. #3Patricia56,446
  4. #4Deborah42,053
  5. #5Barbara40,617
  6. #6Susan40,228
  7. #7Nancy30,346
  8. #8Karen27,998
  9. #9Sandra27,665
  10. #10Kathleen26,716
  11. #157Josephine1,966

Top boys' names in 1951

  1. #1James87,256
  2. #2Robert86,353
  3. #3John81,569
  4. #4Michael72,807
  5. #5David64,788
  6. #6William62,781
  7. #7Richard54,541
  8. #8Thomas48,275
  9. #9Charles39,406
  10. #10Gary38,160
  11. #2,662Josephine9
More about 1951

girls

1,800,859 girls got a published name in 1951; 1 in 916 of them was named Josephine, which outranked 97.5% of the 6,213 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Josephine
  1. #154Cindy2,031
  2. #155Joy2,012
  3. #156Beth1,980
  4. #157Josephine1,966
  5. #158Christina1,960
  6. #159Carole1,959
  7. #160Rosa1,956
Biggest movers since 1950
Risers
  1. ↑ 345Rhona#1,333 → #988
  2. ↑ 307Bobbi#1,153 → #846
  3. ↑ 296Ricki#1,090 → #794
  4. ↑ 295Mindy#771 → #476
  5. ↑ 288Sharleen#1,053 → #765
Fallers
  1. ↓ 395Sharman#668 → #1,063
  2. ↓ 343Manuela#773 → #1,116
  3. ↓ 294Allie#945 → #1,239
  4. ↓ 253Merrie#937 → #1,190
  5. ↓ 252Olive#891 → #1,143

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

boys

1,882,837 boys got a published name in 1951; 1 in 209,204 of them was named Josephine, which outranked 37.4% of the 4,253 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Josephine
  1. #2,495Waldon10
  2. #2,495Wells10
  3. #2,495Wilfrid10
  4. #2,662Josephine9
  5. #2,662Able9
  6. #2,662Adelaido9
  7. #2,662Adonis9
  8. #2,844Abelino8
  9. #2,844Abran8
  10. #2,844Albertus8

Tied with 181 names at #2,662; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1950
Risers
  1. ↑ 428Kimberly#1,139 → #711
  2. ↑ 372Cole#1,364 → #992
  3. ↑ 357Wayland#1,272 → #915
  4. ↑ 354Ricki#1,139 → #785
  5. ↑ 346Lou#1,289 → #943
Fallers
  1. ↓ 944Jory#960 → #1,904
  2. ↓ 502Samual#960 → #1,462
  3. ↓ 426Carlyle#918 → #1,344
  4. ↓ 319Shaun#899 → #1,218
  5. ↓ 318Tex#977 → #1,295

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

See the top 100 for 1951 →