Josephine is a female given name. It is the English version of the French name Joséphine. This is the feminine form of the name Joseph, which is taken from the Hebrew name Yosef, meaning "Jehovah increases".
It was originally a diminutive form of the French name Joséphe, and eventually became the standard form in the 19th century, replacing Joséphe, which eventually became a very rare name. Josephine is now the 260th most popular name in the USA. Diminutive forms of this name include Fifi, Jo, Josie, Joetta and Jojo, an Irish version "Seosaimhín", the Spanish version "Josefina" or Josephina and the Greek version Iosiphina (Greek: Ιωσηφίνα). Also spelled Yosefina and Gosefine. The Swedish version is Josefine.
The name started gaining popularity after 1800 due to the high profile of Josephine de Beauharnais, a French noblewoman who became Napoleon's mistress, and later his wife.
جوزفين (Arabic)Жазэфіна, Žazefina (Belarusian)约瑟芬, Yuēsèfēn (Chinese Simplified)約瑟芬, Yuēsèfēn (Chinese Traditional)Jozefina, Finka, Ina (Croatian)Jozefien, Josefien, Fien (Dutch)Josephina (English)Josefine (German)Ιωσηφίνα, Io̱si̱fína (Greek)જોસેફાઈન, Jōsēphā'īna (Gujarati)Josefiina (Finnish)Joséphine, Fifi, Josette, Josiane (French)ג'וזפין (Hebrew)जोसफिन, Jōsaphina (Hindi)Jozefina, Jozefin, Jozefa (Hungarian)Giuseppina (Italian)ジョセフィン, Josefin (Japanese)ಜೋಸೆಫೀನ್, Jōsephīn (Kannada)조세핀, Josepin (Korean)Џозефин, Džozefin (Macedonian)Жозефина, Jozyefina (Mongolian)जोसेफिन, Jōsēphina (Nepali)ژوزفین (Persian)Józefina (Polish)Josefina (Portuguese)Жозефина, Zhozefina (Russian)Јосефина, Josefina (Serbian)Josefina (Spanish)Josefina (Swedish)ஜோசபின், Jōcapiṉ (Tamil)జోసెఫిన్, Jōsephin (Telugu)โจเซฟิน, Cosefin (Thai)Жозефіна, Zhozefina (Ukrainian)דזשאָסעפינע, Dzşʼásʻpynʻ (Yiddish)Fi, Fientje, Fifi, Fike, Fina, Jael, Jo, Joephy, Joey, Joja, Jojo, Jos, Josa, Josie, Jossan, Jovi, Johnny, Jussus, Juza, Peppa, Posy, Sefi, Sefina, Sephine, Sophie, Anne and Zeph.
Joséphin Péladan (1858–1918), French novelist and martinistJosephine Meeker (1857–1882), American teacher and physicianJoséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, Princess of Belgium, Grand Duchess of LuxembourgJosephine of Leuchtenberg, Queen of SwedenJoséphine de Beauharnais, Empress Consort of the French, Queen Consort of Italy, first wife of Napoleon BonapartePrincess Joséphine of Lorraine, Princess of CarignanoPrincess Josephine of Baden, Princess of Hohenzollern-SigmaringenPrincess Joséphine Caroline of Belgium, wife of Prince Karl Anton of HohenzollernPrincess Josephine of Denmark, Danish princessJosephine Bakhita, ex-slave from Sudan, Catholic nun and saintJosephine Bell, English authorJosephine Baker, American dancer, jazz and pop singerJoséphine-Félicité-Augustine Brohan (1824–1893), French actressJosephine Brunsvik, Hungarian countess, most likely Beethoven's Immortal BelovedJosephine Butler, British feminist and reformerJosephine Cox (born 1938), UK authorJosephine Foster, American folk singerJosephine Clara Goldmark, American reformerJosephine Sophia White Griffing, American social reformerJosephine Hopper, wife and model of painter Edward HopperJosephine Humphreys, American novelistJosephine Louise Le Monnier Newcomb, American philanthropistJosephine Shaw Lowell, American social reformerJosephine Lucchese (1893–1974), American opera singer.Josephine Mitchell (born 1965), Australian actressJosephine Preston Peabody, American writerJosephine Ruffin, early civil rights activist and suffragistJosephine Siao, Hong Kong actressJosephine Skriver, Danish modelJosephine SparreJosephine Tewson, British actressJosephine Tey, mystery writerJosephine 'Jo' Williams, Dame Commander of the Order of the British EmpireJosephine Bloom, a character played by Marion Cotillard in the 2003 film Big FishJosephine Balsamo, a.k.a. Countess Cagliosto, antagonist of Arsène Lupin in novelsJosephine, Captain Corcoran's daughter in the comic opera H.M.S. PinaforeJosephine "Jo" March, protagonist of the novel Little WomenJosephine Joey Potter, in the television series Dawson's CreekDr Josephine Jo Wilson, in the television series Grey's AnatomyJosephine Cherette Montilyet, the Chief Ambassador and Diplomat in Dragon Age Inquisition.