"may God add children"
Origin: Hebrew
Language: French
Josephine
Pronunciation: [ j-OHS-uhf-een ]
Girl Name
#56 Most Popular
Rising
4 Syllables
From Napoleon's Empress to Jo March—a name that commands every room
French
English
German
American
Elegant
Vintage
Royal
Sophisticated
Classic
Meaning & Origin
"God will add, God shall increase"
Origin: Hebrew
Language: Hebrew
"may Jehovah increase"
Origin: Hebrew via Latin
Language: French
The Story of Josephine
Josephine is the French feminine form of Joseph, which derives from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning God will add or God shall increase. The name became internationally famous through Empress Josephine de Beauharnais (1763-1814), Napoleon Bonaparte's first wife, who rose from a Martinique sugar plantation to the throne of France. Her elegance, intelligence, and ultimately tragic story—Napoleon divorced her when she could not produce an heir—made Josephine synonymous with sophisticated femininity and resilience.
Josephine has been making a strong comeback since 2010, re-entering the US top 100 as part of the Victorian-vintage name revival. The nickname Josie drives much of this trend—parents love that it delivers both a stately formal name and a playful everyday option. It appeals especially to parents who love literary names and strong historical figures.
Empress Josephine remains one of the most iconic women in French history—her influence on fashion, culture, and European politics was enormous, and her love of botany made Malmaison's rose garden one of the most famous in history. Josephine Baker added another layer of brilliance: American-born, she became France's most beloved entertainer and a genuine World War II resistance hero.
Fun Facts
- Empress Josephine's passion for roses led her to cultivate over 250 varieties at Malmaison—she employed botanists and artists to document every bloom
- Josephine Baker was the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture and received the Croix de Guerre for her WWII resistance work
- Jo March in Little Women—the original unconventional literary heroine—is short for Josephine
Josephine in Other Languages
French
Josephine
German
Josefine
Italian
Giuseppina
Spanish
Josefina
Japanese
ジョゼフィーヌ
Portuguese
Josefina
Famous People Named Josephine
J
Josephine Baker
Entertainer
1906
American-French entertainer, WWII resistance spy, and civil rights activist, first Black woman to star in a major motion...
American-French entertainer, WWII resistance spy, and civil rights activist, first Black woman to star in a major motion picture
J
Josephine Tey
Writer
1896
Scottish crime fiction writer known for The Daughter of Time
E
Empress Josephine
Politician
1763
First Empress of France as the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte
J
Josephine Bonaparte
Royalty
1763
First wife of Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress of the French, born in Martinique and renowned for her elegance and politic...
First wife of Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress of the French, born in Martinique and renowned for her elegance and political influence
J
Jo March Fictional
Writer
Protagonist of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women (1868), an aspiring writer who resists societal expectations for Victori...
Protagonist of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women (1868), an aspiring writer who resists societal expectations for Victorian women
J
Josephine Alibrandi Fictional
Other
Protagonist of Melina Marchetta's beloved Australian coming-of-age novel Looking for Alibrandi (1992)
Quick Facts
- Gender
- Girl
- Syllables
- 4
- Popularity Rank
- #56
- Total SSA Count
- 3,746
- Cultural Origins
- French English German American
- Pronunciation
- Easy
- Formality
- Formal
- Cross-Cultural Ease
- High
Alternative Spellings
Common Nicknames
Jo
Josie
Josey
Joey
Pairs Well With
Josephine Claire
Josephine Anne
Josephine Rose
Josephine Louise
Josephine Grace
Josephine Marie
Josephine Elizabeth
Sibling Names
Also a Boy Name
Josephine is also used as a boy name, ranked #32659.
View Josephine as a boy name →Similar Names
Playground Safety
Kid-Friendly
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Frequently Asked Questions About Josephine
What does the name Josephine mean?
"may God add children" (from Hebrew). "God will add, God shall increase" (from Hebrew). "may Jehovah increase" (from Hebrew via Latin). Josephine is the French feminine form of Joseph, which derives from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning God will add or God shall increase. The name became internationally famous through Empress Josephine de Beauharnais (1763-1814), Napoleon Bonaparte's first wife, who rose from a Martinique sugar plantation to the throne of France. Her elegance, intelligence, and ultimately tragic story—Napoleon divorced her when she could not produce an heir—made Josephine synonymous with sophisticated femininity and resilience.
What is the origin of the name Josephine?
Josephine has Hebrew, Hebrew via Latin, French, English, German, and American origins. In Hebrew, it means "may God add children". In Hebrew, it means "God will add, God shall increase". In Hebrew via Latin, it means "may Jehovah increase".
Is Josephine a boy or girl name?
Josephine is used as both a girl and boy name. As a girl name, it is ranked #56. As a boy name, it is ranked #32659. Josephine is more commonly used as a girl name.
How do you pronounce Josephine?
Josephine is pronounced j-OHS-uhf-een.
How popular is the name Josephine?
Josephine is currently ranked #56 in popularity for girl names in the United States.
What are common nicknames for Josephine?
Common nicknames for Josephine include Jo, Josie, Josey, and Joey.
What are good middle names for Josephine?
Popular middle name pairings include Josephine Claire, Josephine Anne, Josephine Rose, Josephine Louise, Josephine Grace, Josephine Marie, and Josephine Elizabeth.
What are good sibling names for Josephine?
Names that pair well with Josephine as siblings include Theodore, Sebastian, Eleanor, Adelaide, Henri, Marguerite, and Leopold.
How many syllables does Josephine have?
Josephine has 4 syllables, making it distinctive and rhythmic.
Is Josephine a common or rare name?
Josephine is a very popular name, ranked #56 among girl names in the United States.
About the Name Josephine
Josephine is a girl name with French, English, German, and American origins . The name means "may God add children" in Hebrew .
Is Josephine a boy or girl name? Josephine is used as both a girl and boy name. As a girl name, it ranks #56 in popularity. As a boy name, it ranks #32,659. Josephine is more commonly used as a girl name.
Josephine is currently ranked #56 in popularity for girl names in the United States.
The name Josephine has 4 syllables and is pronounced j-OHS-uhf-een, making it distinctive and memorable.
Common nicknames for Josephine include Jo, Josie, Josey, and Joey. These shorter forms provide casual alternatives while keeping the elegance of the full name.
Alternative spellings of Josephine include Joselyn, Josephina, Josefina, Josette, Josey . Each spelling variation gives the name a slightly different character while preserving its sound and meaning.