Josephina is a feminine given name of Latin origin. It is a variant form of the name Josephine, which itself is derived from the masculine name Joseph. The name Joseph is believed to have been derived from the Hebrew name Yosef, which means "he will add (to the fold)" or "he shall increase".
The name Josephina has not been widely used throughout history compared to its more popular feminine counterpart Josephine. However, there are a few notable figures who bear this name.
One such figure is Saint Josefa of the Heart of Jesus, born as María de Jesús de Agreda y González in Spain in 1602. She was a Discalced Carmelite nun and mystic, known for her ecstatic visions and her spiritual writings. She took the name Josefa when she entered the convent.
Another notable figure is Joséphine de Beauharnais, born as Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie in Martinique in 1763. She was the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France. Although she used the name Joséphine, some sources suggest that her full birth name included the name Josephina.
Despite its relatively limited use throughout history, the name Josephina remains a unique and elegant option for parents seeking a distinctive feminine name with Latin roots. Its meaning, "he will add (to the fold)" or "he shall increase", could be interpreted as a wish for abundance and growth for the child who bears this name.
Here are some insights into the statistical data regarding the name Josephina in the United States:
* The name Josephina first appeared in the top 1000 baby names list in 1959, with 21 births that year.
* From 1959 to 1986, the number of births with the name Josephina fluctuated between a low of 5 births in 1972 and a high of 32 births in 1982.
* There was a significant increase in popularity for the name starting from the late 1980s. In 1987, there were 18 births, followed by 21 births in 1989 and 25 births in 1990.
* The peak of popularity for the name Josephina was reached in 2016 with a total of 115 births. This is more than three times the number of births recorded in any previous year.
* Since 2016, the popularity of the name has remained high, with at least 95 births every year until the most recent data available (2023).
* In total, from 1912 to 2023, there have been 3,261 babies named Josephina born in the United States.
This data shows that while the name Josephina has not always been extremely popular, it has seen a significant increase in usage over the past few decades. The name's peak popularity occurred relatively recently, in 2016, and it continues to be a popular choice for parents today.