Josselin is a name of French origin, derived from the Breton language. It is composed of two elements: 'Jo', which is short for various names beginning with that syllable such as Joachim or Josèphe, and 'selin', meaning 'willow'. Thus, Josselin translates to 'willow will'. The name was popular among the nobility in Brittany during the Middle Ages but has since become less common. Today, it is still used occasionally in France, particularly in Brittany, and is considered somewhat traditional yet unique.
The name Josselin has seen fluctuations over the years with regards to its popularity as evidenced by the number of births each year. The late 90s and early 2000s marked a peak in popularity, with the highest numbers of births occurring between 2002 and 2007. However, since then, there has been a steady decline, reaching a low point in recent years, particularly from 2020 onwards. Overall, over the span of three decades, 834 babies were named Josselin at birth.