Girl · Hebrew, through English
Jo
Say it: JOH
Meaning
A short form of names such as Josephine, Joanna and Joan; Joseph means 'he will add' and Joanna 'God is gracious' in Hebrew.
Certainscholars agree on this meaning.
Used as a full name in the US from the late 19th century, famously echoed by Jo March of Little Women (1868).
Its wave through time
Fading since the 1950s
In the United States
- 180,692 babies given this name since 1881
- At its height in 1954, about 1 in 241 girls
- 42 babies in 2020
Through the ages
Used by
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- Well-known works of literature
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.
Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.