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Home › Baby Names Directory › Jo

Jo

♀ Girl

Pronounced JOH /ˈdʒoʊ/High

Meaning: Short form of Josephine, Joanna, or Joan — from Hebrew Yosef, 'God will add', or Yochanan, 'God is gracious'; routes layeredMedium

In 30 seconds: Spunky and timeless: Jo shortens Josephine or Joanna — 'God will add' or 'God is gracious'. Tomboyish, warm, and classic (Little Women's Jo March).
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Origin MediumHebrew, English
MeaningShort form of Josephine, Joanna, or Joan — from Hebrew Yosef, 'God will add', or Yochanan, 'God is gracious'; routes layered
U.S. rank (2024)#4314 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births33 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1954
Total births (all-time)≈ 179,020

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 195418812024

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Jo is a short form of Josephine, Joanna, or Joan — from Hebrew Yosef, 'God will add', or Yochanan, 'God is gracious' (routes layered, which we note). A spunky, warm classic, immortalized by Jo March.

In the U.S. it appears as a nickname and standalone. Rare on its own, God-will-add-or-gracious at the root, and spirited.

Did you know? Jo March of Little Women made this short, spirited name iconic — it shortens Josephine ('God will add') and Joanna ('God is gracious').
Overall data confidence 70%
Behind the Name — Jo — routes layered

Variations

JoeJoannaJosephine

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Jo Whiley (1965-)
    British radio presenter and DJ known for her long tenure at BBC Radio 2
  • ★Jo Brand (1957-)
    British comedian, actress, and writer known for her dry observational humor
  • ★Jo Cox (1974-2016)
    British Labour MP who was tragically assassinated in 2016, known for humanitarian work

If you like Jo…

Joanna— a name it shortens
Josephine— another name it shortens
Joan— a fellow Jo- name
Jane— a similarly popular pick
Jean— shares Jo's Hebrew roots

Explore names like Jo

By themeuncertainenglishhebrewshort-and-sweet
By meaningGod / DivineGrace

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Jo mean?

Jo shortens Josephine ('God will add') or Joanna ('God is gracious'); the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Jo?

It's said JOH /ˈdʒoʊ/ — a single syllable.

Is Jo a boy or girl name?

Jo is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Jo?

Jo is a rare name on its own in the U.S.

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