Josette
Josette is a girl's name of French origin.
Meaning
God shall add.
Origin and history
Josette originated as a French diminutive of Josèphe or Joséphine, deriving ultimately from the Hebrew name Yosef. It entered U.S. usage as an elegant, vintage feminine name with a distinctly French flare. While never reaching peak national popularity, it maintains a steady presence in American naming records.
Popularity in the United States
6,659 babies in the United States have been named Josette since 1880. It ranks #2069 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1567.
States where it is most popular
- NY (23.2 %)
- CA (22.3 %)
- TX (10.3 %)
- PA (7.8 %)
- OH (5.8 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 18 |
| 1920-1930 | 38 |
| 1930-1940 | 129 |
| 1940-1950 | 402 |
| 1950-1960 | 575 |
| 1960-1970 | 1,358 |
| 1970-1980 | 1,435 |
| 1980-1990 | 532 |
| 1990-2000 | 638 |
| 2000-2010 | 501 |
| 2010-2019 | 497 |
| 2020-2029 | 536 |
Famous people named Josette
- Josette Sheeran: Diplomat, Executive
- Josette Simon: Actress
- Josette Day: Actress
Nicknames
Jo, Josie, Jojo, Etta
Fun facts
- The '-ette' suffix was historically added in French to create affectionate diminutives for classical names.
- The name gained widespread recognition in the late 1960s through the popular gothic television series Dark Shadows.