Given name & surname
Jo
“God will add”·“God is gracious”·“God shall add”
In English use, Jo is a variant of Joan. In Hebrew use, Joan carries the interpretation “God is gracious.” Jo is a feminine form of Joseph. Yosef means “God shall add,” traditionally understood as a hope that God would add another son to the family.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Jo carries the interpretation “God will add.” In English use, Jo is a variant of Joan. In Hebrew use, Joan carries the interpretation “God is gracious.” Jo is a feminine form of Joseph. Yosef means “God shall add,” traditionally understood as a hope that God would add another son to the family. In English use, Jo has a related form in Joe. In English use, Joe carries the interpretation “God will add.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
Jo is used as a feminine counterpart of Joseph. Jo is a feminine form of Joseph. The shared background comes through Joseph: The English and French name continues the biblical Hebrew form Yosef. The idea of adding is part of the name’s original family context, rather than a later personality interpretation.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1881. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Jo is a feminine form of Joseph. The history of Joseph gives this family its wider story. In Genesis, Joseph is Jacob’s son who is taken to Egypt and later reconciled with his brothers. In the New Testament, Joseph is also the husband of Mary, giving the name a distinct place in Christian tradition. Jo is a short form of Joanna. The history of Joanna gives this family its wider story. Joanna was in use during the Middle Ages.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Jo through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 180,911
- 1,854 boys · 179,057 girls
- Most popular year
- 1954
- 8,077 babies
- 2025
- 44
- #4,028 for girls · #9,273 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +5%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 13% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 36 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 4,028 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 6.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 8,052 in 1954. It also appeared in 8 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (7). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 57,903 as a first name in 2020; 4,518 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Jo’s family of names
In French usage, Jo is a diminutive of Joseph. In English usage, Jo shares an earlier linguistic root with Janet. In English usage, Jo has a related form in Joan.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Jo has relatives in 9 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Englishwhere Jo comes from · 27 names
Nicknames & forms 35
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Josephfull form · French, English
- Josephinefull form · English
- Joannafull form · French, English
- Joanvariant · English
- Jolenevariant · English
- Johannavariant · German, Dutch
- Joevariant · English
- Joannevariant · English, French
Show 27 moreShow fewer
- Johannesvariant · German
- Josefinefull form · Norwegian Nynorsk
- Josannavariant
- Joettavariant
- Josannevariant
- Jorenevariant
- Joniquevariant
- Joniecevariant
- Jolissavariant
- Jolisavariant
- Jolindavariant
- Joettevariant
- Jodellevariant
- Jodeanvariant
- Jobethvariant
- Johannefull form · Norwegian Nynorsk
- Jokediminutive · Dutch
- Jovellevariant
- Joquisevariant
- Jonisavariant
- Jonetiavariant
- Jo-Marievariant
- Jolisevariant
- Jobellevariant
- Joséfull form · French
- Joséefull form · French
- Josefienfull form · Dutch
Spellings & scripts 5
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 27
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Joyequivalent
- Jessiedoublet · English
- Jennadoublet · English
- Janelledoublet · English
- Jennydoublet · English
- Ivankadoublet · English
- JohanaCzech
- Jeanettedoublet · English
Show 19 moreShow fewer
- Joaniedoublet · English
- Juanitadoublet · English
- Janetdoublet · English
- Vannadoublet · English
- Jodydoublet · English
- Jandoublet · English, German
- Joiequivalent
- Jodiequivalent
- Janeydoublet · English
- Jeannettedoublet · English
- Janinedoublet · English
- Jeaniedoublet · English
- Jojoequivalent · Slovak
- Sineaddoublet · English
- Jeanninedoublet · English
- Shanaedoublet · English
- Jendoublet · English
- Jo-Joequivalent
- Jóiequivalent
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Jo
- Raquel WelchAmerican actress (1940–2023)
- Jo NesbøNorwegian novelist, musician and economistborn 1960
- Jo Van FleetAmerican actress (1915-1996)
- Jo JorgensenAmerican politician, 2020 Libertarian Party presidential candidateborn 1957
- Jo SwinsonBritish politician and leader of the Liberal Democrats (born 1980)
- Jo Jo WhiteAmerican basketball player (1946-2018)
- Jo StaffordAmerican singer (1917–2008)
- Jo KanazawaJapanese association football playerborn 1976
- Jo WaltonWelsh Canadian writerborn 1964
Characters named Jo: Jo March (Louisa May Alcott's Little Women), Jo Grant (fictional character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Jo, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Rae
“son of grace”
3% boys · 97% girls
Fina
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% girls
Pamela
“very strange” · “a woman who is as sweet as honey”
>99% girls
Beth
“my God is bountiful” · “God is my oath”
>99% girls
Becky
“one who is bound to God”
>99% girls
Sheryl
“one who is greatly loved; a darling” · “from the bright clearing”
>99% girls
Prudence
“one who is cautious and exercises good judgment”
>99% girls
Marilyn
“a man of the lake”
>99% girls