Jose

♂ Boy

Pronounced hoh-ZAY /hoʊˈzeɪ/High

Meaning: God will increase; God shall add — Spanish form of Joseph, from Hebrew YosefHigh

In 30 seconds: The Spanish form of Joseph meaning 'God will increase,' José has been a top-100 American name for generations, anchored by the large Spanish-speaking population and the name's deep Biblical roots.

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Origin HighHebrew, Spanish

MeaningGod will increase; God shall add — Spanish form of Joseph, from Hebrew Yosef

Peak year2002

Total births (all-time)≈ 560,679

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

José is the Spanish form of Joseph, from the Latin Iosephus, Greek Iosephos, and Hebrew Yosef, meaning 'God will add' or 'God will increase.' It refers to the biblical patriarch Joseph, son of Jacob.

José has been a consistent top-100 boys' name in the United States, reflecting the large Spanish-speaking community. It is also popular across Latin America, Spain, and the Philippines.

Did you know? José is one of the most common given names in the Spanish-speaking world; in Mexico alone it is among the top three boys' names recorded over the past century.

Variations

JosephGiuseppeJosipYusuf

Nicknames

PepeChe

Famous Bearers

★José Martí (1853–1895)
Cuban poet and national hero who led the movement for Cuban independence from Spain.

If you like Jose…

Miguel— Spanish form of Michael with the same deep Spanish-speaking community presence

Juan— Spanish form of John with the same centuries-long Latin American prevalence

Carlos— Spanish form of Charles with the same anchor in Spanish-speaking culture

Antonio— Spanish form of Anthony with the same warm Latin multi-syllable resonance

Frequently Asked

What does the name Jose mean?

José is the Spanish form of Joseph, from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning 'God will increase' or 'God shall add.'

How do you pronounce Jose?

It is said hoh-ZAY /hoʊˈzeɪ/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Jose a boy or girl name?

José is used almost exclusively as a boy's name; Josefa and Josefina are the feminine forms.

How popular is Jose?

José has been a consistent U.S. top-100 boys' name for many decades.