Jose Boy

Popularity: #95 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ho-ZAY /xoˈse/

Origin: Spanish; Portuguese

Meaning: Spanish: God will add; Portuguese: God increases

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Jose is derived from the Hebrew name Yosef, meaning "He will add" or "God will add." This name was transliterated into Greek as Ioseph and subsequently into Latin as Iosephus. The name made its way into Old Spanish as José, influenced by the Latin form, and became widely used in the Spanish-speaking world.

The transition into English occurred through the adoption of the name by Spanish and Portuguese speakers, particularly during the periods of exploration and colonization from the 15th century onward. Historically, the name Jose is significant due to its biblical roots, as Joseph is a prominent figure in both the Old and New Testaments.

In the Old Testament, Joseph is known as the favored son of Jacob, who was sold into slavery by his brothers and later became a powerful figure in Egypt. In the New Testament, Joseph is recognized as the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, which further solidified the name's importance in Christian tradition.

The name has been used in various forms across different cultures, with notable figures such as Saint Joseph, who is venerated in Christianity, particularly within the Catholic Church. Culturally, the name Jose carries a rich resonance, often associated with strength, resilience, and familial loyalty, reflecting the characteristics of its biblical namesake.

The name has also inspired various diminutive forms, such as Pepe, which is commonly used in Spanish-speaking cultures. The enduring nature of the name Jose can be attributed to its deep historical roots and the cultural significance attached to its biblical associations, making it a name that has transcended time and geography.

Famous people named Jose

In this section, you will find notable people named Jose. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Jose who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Jose who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Jose Carreras is a tenor best known for his operatic performances and as a member of The Three Tenors.

Jose Mourinho is a football manager best known for his time with Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester United.

Jose Feliciano is a singer and guitarist best known for his rendition of 'Feliz Navidad' and 'Light My Fire.'.

Jose Canseco is a former professional baseball player best known for his time with the Oakland Athletics and his controversial autobiography.

Jose Reyes is a former professional baseball player best known for his time with the New York Mets and Miami Marlins.

Jose Altuve is a professional baseball player best known for his achievements with the Houston Astros.

Jose Saramago is a novelist best known for his works Blindness and The Gospel According to Jesus Christ.

Jose Gonzalez is a singer-songwriter best known for his songs 'Heartbeats' and 'Crosses.'.

Jose Luis Rodriguez is a singer and actor best known for his hit songs and television appearances in Latin America.

Jose Manuel Calderon is a former professional basketball player best known for his time in the NBA and international play with Spain.

Fictional characters named Jose

The following list of fictional characters named Jose is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Jose is a fictional character from the video game series Metal Gear Solid. He is a member of the resistance against the oppressive regime in the game's narrative.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Jose, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

JuanCarlosMiguelLuisAntonioPablo

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Jose. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

JorgeJavierJulioJoaquínJaimeJasperJosiah

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Jose was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Jose has ranked as high as #43 nationally, which occurred in 2002, and has been most popular in Texas, California, New York, Illinois, and Arizona.

In the past 5 years the name Jose has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Jose is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Jose was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Jose.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 3,678 3,678 0
2024 3,790 3,784 6
2023 3,733 3,725 8
2022 4,039 4,031 8
2021 4,009 4,002 7
2020 3,865 3,855 10
2019 4,141 4,135 6
2018 4,327 4,318 9
2017 4,821 4,815 6
2016 5,130 5,119 11
2015 5,188 5,177 11
2014 5,495 5,485 10
2013 5,633 5,627 6
2012 6,054 6,041 13
2011 6,777 6,766 11
2010 7,722 7,703 19
2009 8,830 8,818 12
2008 9,848 9,826 22
2007 11,277 11,252 25
2006 11,636 11,604 32
2005 12,102 12,065 37
2004 12,233 12,187 46
2003 12,426 12,394 32
2002 12,916 12,868 48
2001 12,200 12,144 56
2000 12,640 12,585 55
1999 12,209 12,155 54
1998 12,419 12,374 45
1997 11,978 11,929 49
1996 12,219 12,155 64
1995 11,854 11,781 73
1994 11,810 11,731 79
1993 11,920 11,847 73
1992 11,919 11,824 95
1991 11,823 11,727 96
1990 11,632 11,519 113
1989 10,414 10,331 83
1988 9,106 9,007 99
1987 8,815 8,737 78
1986 8,454 8,363 91
1985 8,493 8,403 90
1984 8,096 8,013 83
1983 8,146 8,073 73
1982 8,703 8,624 79
1981 8,848 8,773 75
1980 8,411 8,323 88
1979 7,939 7,848 91
1978 7,239 7,148 91
1977 6,995 6,919 76
1976 7,145 7,061 84
1975 7,048 6,967 81
1974 6,786 6,720 66
1973 6,155 6,097 58
1972 5,994 5,935 59
1971 6,062 6,004 58
1970 5,751 5,691 60
1969 5,242 5,185 57
1968 4,837 4,794 43
1967 4,458 4,417 41
1966 4,226 4,194 32
1965 4,008 3,966 42
1964 4,002 3,976 26
1963 4,051 4,012 39
1962 3,862 3,827 35
1961 3,796 3,757 39
1960 3,959 3,915 44
1959 3,603 3,579 24
1958 3,456 3,425 31
1957 3,498 3,472 26
1956 3,434 3,398 36
1955 3,337 3,313 24
1954 3,257 3,227 30
1953 3,044 3,016 28
1952 2,720 2,689 31
1951 2,720 2,683 37
1950 2,659 2,638 21
1949 2,466 2,441 25
1948 2,278 2,262 16
1947 2,119 2,091 28
1946 1,879 1,859 20
1945 1,623 1,607 16
1944 1,532 1,512 20
1943 1,389 1,373 16
1942 1,329 1,310 19
1941 1,214 1,194 20
1940 1,182 1,169 13
1939 1,123 1,098 25
1938 1,171 1,158 13
1937 1,107 1,087 20
1936 1,131 1,119 12
1935 1,187 1,168 19
1934 1,237 1,221 16
1933 1,190 1,171 19
1932 1,334 1,316 18
1931 1,382 1,360 22
1930 1,645 1,600 45
1929 1,711 1,692 19
1928 1,801 1,770 31
1927 1,666 1,636 30
1926 1,504 1,474 30
1925 1,464 1,449 15
1924 1,416 1,393 23
1923 1,340 1,325 15
1922 1,275 1,257 18
1921 1,229 1,210 19
1920 1,252 1,241 11
1919 1,040 1,026 14
1918 880 871 9
1917 815 800 15
1916 698 686 12
1915 666 659 7
1914 552 552 0
1913 438 432 6
1912 356 356 0
1911 268 268 0
1910 255 249 6
1909 218 213 5
1908 192 192 0
1907 170 170 0
1906 154 154 0
1905 205 200 5
1904 144 144 0
1903 141 141 0
1902 125 125 0
1901 132 127 5
1900 161 161 0
1899 90 90 0
1898 116 110 6
1897 91 85 6
1896 109 104 5
1895 104 104 0
1894 94 94 0
1893 84 84 0
1892 111 106 5
1891 82 77 5
1890 93 93 0
1889 80 80 0
1888 99 99 0
1887 95 95 0
1886 85 85 0
1885 111 111 0
1884 112 112 0
1883 74 74 0
1882 95 95 0
1881 75 75 0
1880 84 84 0

Top States for Jose (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 1,010
27%
CA 713
19%
FL 234
6%
AZ 180
5%
NC 123
3%
GA 114
3%
IL 112
3%
NY 96
3%
CO 68
2%
WA 68
2%
TN 65
2%
VA 61
2%
MD 54
1%
IN 51
1%
NJ 50
1%
OH 45
1%
PA 44
1%
OK 43
1%
NM 42
1%
OR 42
1%
MI 41
1%
MA 37
1%
SC 36
1%
LA 36
1%
NV 35
1%
KS 34
1%
KY 33
1%
AL 32
1%
MN 31
1%
IA 29
1%
UT 29
1%
MO 26
1%
NE 26
1%
AR 21
1%
CT 21
1%
WI 21
1%
ID 15
0%
MS 13
0%
SD 7
0%
DE 7
0%
RI 6
0%
HI 5
0%
DC 5
0%