Josje
A Dutch diminutive of the Hebrew name Josiah meaning "God supports".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Josje. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Josje today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Josje births was 1987 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Josje. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Josje. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1987
6 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
1987 SSA rank
#6,517
Tracked since 1987
Popularity
Josje: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Josje by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Josje during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Geography
Where Josjes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Josje
The given name Josje originated as a Dutch diminutive form of the name Josina, which itself is a feminine form of the masculine name Josephus. Josephus is derived from the Hebrew name Yosef, meaning "he will add" or "he will increase." The name Josje gained popularity in the Netherlands and surrounding regions during the late Middle Ages.
In the 16th century, the name Josje was mentioned in various Dutch literary works and historical records. One notable example is the 1578 chronicle "Beschrijvinghe van der Stad Leyden" by Rembert Dodoens, which recorded the name of a young woman named Josje van der Meer who played a role in the Siege of Leiden during the Eighty Years' War.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Josje date back to the 15th century in the Netherlands. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Josje Adriaensdochter, a Dutch woman born in Delft around 1450, who was mentioned in various municipal records from the time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Josje. In the 17th century, Josje van Burgersdijk (1600-1677) was a Dutch painter known for her still-life works. During the 18th century, Josje van der Meer (1725-1798) was a renowned Dutch actress and theater manager.
In the 19th century, Josje Berghuijs (1825-1909) was a Dutch feminist and author who advocated for women's rights and education. Another notable figure was Josje Douwes Dekker (1865-1946), a Dutch writer and journalist who used the pen name Nettie.
Moving into the 20th century, Josje Lanters (1904-1997) was a Dutch actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and stage productions. She was particularly celebrated for her roles in comedic plays and musicals.
People
Josje + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Josje as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Josje: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Josje?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Josje going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Josje a common name?
We classify Josje as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Josje most popular?
The single biggest year for Josje was 1987, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Josje is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Josje in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Josje a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Josje in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Josje still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Josje in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Josje can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Josje?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Josje at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.