Josey

♂ Boy

Pronounced JOH-zee /ˈdʒoʊ.zi/High

Meaning: Pet form of Joseph — Hebrew Yosef, 'God will add, increase'Medium

In 30 seconds: Joseph, with a rugged twang: Josey pets the classic 'God will add' — outlaw-cool (The Outlaw Josey Wales). Warm, Western, and friendly.

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Origin MediumHebrew, American

MeaningPet form of Joseph — Hebrew Yosef, 'God will add, increase'

U.S. rank (2025)#4192 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births25 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1989

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,017

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Josey is a pet form of Joseph — Hebrew Yosef, 'God will add, increase'. A warm, casual nickname-name (used mainly for boys here), it gained Western grit from the Clint Eastwood film.

It registers thinly in records. Rare, God-will-add at the root, and warm.

Did you know? Clint Eastwood's 'The Outlaw Josey Wales' made this Joseph pet form a Western icon — Joseph means 'God will add, increase'.

Overall data confidence 72%

Behind the Name — Joseph — root etymology

Variations

JosephJosieJosiah

Nicknames

JoJoe

Famous Bearers

★Josey Scott (1977-)
American rock vocalist and lead singer of the band Saliva, known for the Spider-Man soundtrack contribution 'Hero'

If you like Josey…

Joseph— the name it pets

Josiah— a fellow Jo- biblical name

Jody— a companion -y nickname-name

Cody— a rhyming Western name

Explore names like Josey

By themehebrew nickname-name western

By meaningGod / Divine

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Josey mean?

Josey pets Joseph, Hebrew for 'God will add, increase'.

How do you pronounce Josey?

It's said JOH-zee /ˈdʒoʊ.zi/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Josey a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Josey?

Josey is a rare name in the U.S.