Given name
Josefa
“God will add”·“God shall add”
Josefa is a variant of Josephine. In Hebrew use, Josephine carries the interpretation “God will add.” Josefa 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
Josefa is a variant of Josephine. In Hebrew use, Josephine carries the interpretation “God will add.” Josefa 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.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Josefa is a feminine form of Joseph. Joseph is the English and French form of the Hebrew name Yosef.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Josefa is used as a feminine counterpart of Joseph. Josefa 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. Josefa 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.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Josefa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,062
- 0 boys · 4,062 girls
- Most popular year
- 1925
- 84 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #8,590 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +30%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 8,590 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 30.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 84 in 1925. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,221 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Josefa’s family of names
In Spanish usage, Josefa has a diminutive in PINA. Josefa is a feminine form of Joseph. Josefa has a related form in Josephine.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Josefa has relatives in 9 languages.
15 related names in 9 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Josephinevariant · English
- Josefinevariant · German
- Pinadiminutive · Spanish
- Joseffalikely variant
- Josepavariant · Catalan
- Pepaydiminutive · Tagalog
- Chepadiminutive · Spanish
- Pepitadiminutive · Spanish
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 11
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Josephsource · English, French
- Jozefaequivalent
- Giuseppaequivalent
- Josephaequivalent
- Jositaequivalent
- JózefaPolish
- JosèpheFrench
- Юзефаequivalent
Show 3 moreShow fewer
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Josefa
- Josefa IloiloPresident of Fiji from 2000 to 2009 (1920–2011)
- Josefa de ÓbidosPortuguese and Spanish artist (1630-1684)
- Josefa IdemGerman-born Italian canoeist and politicianborn 1964
- MarisolSpanish singer and actressborn 1948
- Josefa Franciscowomen's rights activist1954–2015
- Josefa Ortiz de DomínguezMexican insurgent (1768–1829)
- Josefa de Tudó, 1st Countess of Castillo FielSpanish noble1779–1869
- Josefa Llanes EscodaFilipino heroine and suffragist (1898–1945)
- Josefa of Fürstenberg-WeitraPrincess Consort of Liechtenstein (1776-1848)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Josefa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Grayce
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