Given name & surname
Jose
“God will add”·“God shall add”
Jose is a variant of Josephine. In Hebrew use, Josephine carries the interpretation “God will add.” Jose is a variant of Joseph. Yosef means “God shall add,” traditionally understood as a hope that God would add another son to the family.
Original GreekΙωση
Meaning & origin
What it means
Jose is a variant of Josephine. In Hebrew use, Josephine carries the interpretation “God will add.” Jose is a variant of Joseph. Yosef means “God shall add,” traditionally understood as a hope that God would add another son to the family.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Jose is a variant of Joseph. Joseph is the English and French form of the Hebrew name Yosef.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Jose is a diminutive of Josephine. In Cebuano usage, Jose developed from the Spanish form José. Jose is a variant 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 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Jose is a variant 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.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Jose appears in Luke 3:29, Matthew 27:56, Mark 6:3.
- Luke 3:29
- Matthew 27:56
- Mark 6:3
From biblical name research
Jose through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 596,732
- 592,512 boys · 4,220 girls
- Most popular year
- 2002
- 12,916 babies
- 2025
- 3,678
- #95 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −14%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 3,678 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 95 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 13.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 12,868 in 2002. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (991). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,211,106 as a first name in 2020; 12,633 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.
Jose’s family of names
In English usage, Jose is a diminutive of Josephine. In English usage, Jose shares an earlier linguistic root with Joseph. In English usage, Jose has a related form in YOSELYN.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Jose has relatives in 6 languages.
8 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Josephvariant · English
- Josephinefull form · English
- Jomardiminutive
- Yoselynvariant · English
- Jomaridiminutive
- Jomadiminutive
- Josemaridiminutive
- Jjoselikely variant
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 31
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Josieequivalent
- Yosefequivalent
- Giuseppeequivalent
- Josefequivalent
- Jozefequivalent
- Josiequivalent
- Iosifequivalent
- Josequivalent
Show 23 moreShow fewer
- Josseequivalent
- Josyequivalent
- Josjeequivalent
- Josipequivalent
- Josepequivalent
- Josifequivalent
- Nxusèequivalent
- Joselioequivalent
- Osypequivalent
- Jožkoequivalent
- Juozapasequivalent
- Jooseppiequivalent
- Иосифequivalent
- Josebaequivalent
- Osipequivalent
- Ossipequivalent
- Zéequivalent
- Juozasequivalent
- Josoequivalent
- Józsefequivalent
- Joepequivalent
- יוסףroot · Hebrew
- Ἰωσήφroot · Ancient Greek
See also 4
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Jose
- Jose P. LaurelPresident of the Philippines from 1943 to 19451891–1959
- Jose AdvinculaFilipino Roman Catholic Archbishop and Cardinalborn 1952
- Jose BaxterBritish footballer (born 1992)
- Jose Tomas SanchezCatholic cardinal (1920–2012)
- Jose AltuveVenezuelan baseball playerborn 1990
- Jose W. DioknoFilipino politician (1922–1987)
- Jose Pablo CantilloAmerican actorborn 1979
- Jose KaimlettIndian catholic priest1941–2018
- Jose CansecoCuban baseball player (born 1964)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Jose, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Juan
“God is gracious”
>99% boys
Jabez
“sorrowful” · “one who is delivered in pain”
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Manuel
“God is with us”
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Saul
“one who was prayed for”
>99% boys
Jessup
“God shall add”
>99% boys
Joos
“God shall add”
>99% boys
Josue
“God . is salvation” · “God is salvation”
>99% boys
Joosepe
“God shall add”
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