Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Josey is a form of Josephine. Josephine comes from French.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
In English usage, Josey is a short form of Josephine.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1915. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Josey through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,248
- 1,017 boys · 3,231 girls
- Most popular year
- 2012
- 121 babies
- 2025
- 86
- #2,793 for girls · #4,192 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −4%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 20% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 61 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,793 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 8.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 106 in 2012. It also appeared in 25 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (13). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,580 as a first name in 2020; 3,953 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.
Josey’s family of names
In English usage, Josey is a short form of Josephine.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Josey, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Jordyn
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Aubrey
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Presley
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>99% girls
Jazlyn
Jazlyn is a feminine given name.
>99% girls