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Home › Baby Names Directory › Jody

Jody

♂ Boy

Pronounced JOH-dee /ˈd͡ʒoʊ.di/Medium

Meaning: diminutive of Joseph ('he will add') or JudithMedium

In 30 seconds: Jody is a name rooted in Hebrew, a diminutive of Joseph, meaning 'he will add', or sometimes of Judith. It works as a friendly, casual short form.
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Origin MediumHebrew
Meaningdiminutive of Joseph ('he will add') or Judith
U.S. rank (2024)#2682 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births49 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1971
Total births (all-time)≈ 31,520

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197119102024

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

Jody began as a pet form, drawn either from Joseph, whose meaning is 'he will add', or from Judith. That diminutive nature is the heart of the name, which trades the formality of its source for warmth. Its variations include Jo, Joe, Jodi, and Jodie, all carrying the same easygoing feel.

The name has been worn by people across fields, from Grammy-winning singer Jody Watley to Hall of Fame basketball coach Jody Conradt. Forms like Jodi and Joetta show how flexibly the name shifts between spellings and elaborations.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Jody comes through Joseph 'he will add' or Judith, and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Jody — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

JoJodiJodieJoeJoetta

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Jody Watley (1959–present)
    American singer, Grammy-winning Best New Artist.
  • ★Jody Conradt (1941–present)
    American Hall of Fame women's basketball coach.

If you like Jody…

Joe— A fellow diminutive of Joseph sharing Jody's casual root.
Jordy— another Hebrew name
Jessie— lands in the same popularity range
Johnnie— a fellow Hebrew choice
Mendy— a fellow Hebrew choice

Explore names like Jody

By themeenglish

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Jody mean?

Jody is a diminutive of Joseph, meaning 'he will add', or of Judith, and is linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Jody?

It's commonly said JOH-dee /ˈd͡ʒoʊ.di/.

Is Jody a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Jody is used as a boy name.

How popular is Jody?

In 2024, Jody ranked #2682 in the U.S. for boys, with 49 births recorded.

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