Josey
Josey is an abbreviated form of the given name Joseph. Notable people with the name include:Josey Garcia, American politician Josey Jewell, American football player Josey Little (1821–1877), British jockey and soldier Josey Montana McCoy, American voice actor Josey Rebelle, British musician Josey Scott, American rock musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer Josey Wales, Jamaican dancehall…
- English
Meaning & Origin of Josey
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Josey is an abbreviated form of the given name Joseph. Notable people with the name include:Josey Garcia, American politician Josey Jewell, American football player Josey Little (1821–1877), British jockey and soldier Josey Montana McCoy, American voice actor Josey Rebelle, British musician Josey Scott, American rock musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer Josey Wales, Jamaican dancehall…
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Josey
As a girl name
American parents first put Josey on the record books as a girl name in 1915, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2012, when 106 Joseys were born — ranking #1,885 that year. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Joseys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,384 among girl names with 76 births, gradually falling (-11%). In total, more than 3K Joseys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Josey first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1976, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1989: 42 births, good for #1,793 nationwide. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Joseys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,249 among boy names with 25 births, rising sharply (+22% over the past five years). In total, more than 1K Joseys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Josey
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Josey. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Josey
Phonetically similar names — useful when Josey is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Josey
What does the name Josey mean?
What is the origin of the name Josey?
How popular is Josey in 2026?
When was Josey most popular?
In which U.S. states is Josey most popular?
Is Josey a unisex name?
What names go well with Josey?
What are nicknames or variants of Josey?
About the name Josey
Josey is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Josey's peak popularity came in 2012 when it ranked #1,774. Use the chart and map above to compare Josey's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2012 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.