Josefa Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ho-SEH-fah //xoˈse.fa//
Origin: Spanish; Hebrew
Meaning: Spanish: God will add; Hebrew: He will add
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Josefa has its roots in the Hebrew name Yosef, meaning "God will add" or "God increases." This name was transliterated into Greek as Ioseph and later into Latin as Iosephus. The name made its way into various languages, including Spanish and Portuguese, where it evolved into Josefa, a feminine form of Jose.
The transition into English occurred through the influence of the Spanish and Portuguese languages, particularly during the periods of exploration and colonization when these cultures interacted with English-speaking populations. Historically, the name Josefa is linked to significant biblical figures, most notably Joseph, the son of Jacob, who is a prominent character in the Book of Genesis.
His story, which includes themes of resilience and divine providence, has been influential in Judeo-Christian traditions. The name has also been borne by various saints, including Saint Joseph, the husband of Mary, which further solidified its religious significance.
The name's presence in religious texts and its association with revered figures contributed to its enduring legacy across cultures. Culturally, Josefa carries connotations of strength and divine favor, reflecting its etymological roots.
It is often associated with qualities such as leadership and nurturing, traits that resonate within various cultural narratives. The name has been embraced in numerous Hispanic cultures, where it is celebrated for its historical and familial connections.
The diminutive form, Pepa, is also used affectionately in some regions, highlighting the name's versatility and warmth. Overall, Josefa's journey through language and culture illustrates its deep historical roots and the enduring significance it holds in various traditions.
Famous people named Josefa
In this section, you will find notable people named Josefa. 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 Josefa who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Josefa 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.
Josefa I of Portugal was a queen best known for her reign over Portugal during the 18th century.
Josefa de Óbidos was a painter best known for her religious works and portraits in the Baroque style.
Fictional characters named Josefa
The following list of fictional characters named Josefa 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.
Josefa is a fictional character from the novel The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. She is a significant figure in the story, representing the struggles and resilience of women in a patriarchal society.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Josefa, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Josefa. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Josefa was first seen in the United States in 1881.
Josefa has ranked as high as #810 nationally, which occurred in 1925, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Arizona, New York, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Josefa has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Josefa 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 Josefa was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Josefa (2008)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 5 |
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 Josefa.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 18 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2018 | 16 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2012 | 11 |
| 2011 | 13 |
| 2010 | 9 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2007 | 12 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2005 | 9 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2003 | 9 |
| 2002 | 14 |
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2000 | 10 |
| 1999 | 20 |
| 1998 | 13 |
| 1997 | 10 |
| 1996 | 16 |
| 1995 | 18 |
| 1994 | 17 |
| 1993 | 17 |
| 1992 | 11 |
| 1991 | 16 |
| 1990 | 19 |
| 1989 | 24 |
| 1988 | 16 |
| 1987 | 13 |
| 1986 | 12 |
| 1985 | 26 |
| 1984 | 18 |
| 1983 | 26 |
| 1982 | 21 |
| 1981 | 23 |
| 1980 | 18 |
| 1979 | 34 |
| 1978 | 13 |
| 1977 | 25 |
| 1976 | 21 |
| 1975 | 17 |
| 1974 | 20 |
| 1973 | 22 |
| 1972 | 27 |
| 1971 | 30 |
| 1970 | 30 |
| 1969 | 31 |
| 1968 | 25 |
| 1967 | 23 |
| 1966 | 29 |
| 1965 | 23 |
| 1964 | 38 |
| 1963 | 27 |
| 1962 | 24 |
| 1961 | 29 |
| 1960 | 29 |
| 1959 | 26 |
| 1958 | 30 |
| 1957 | 32 |
| 1956 | 32 |
| 1955 | 29 |
| 1954 | 45 |
| 1953 | 38 |
| 1952 | 33 |
| 1951 | 39 |
| 1950 | 39 |
| 1949 | 37 |
| 1948 | 48 |
| 1947 | 37 |
| 1946 | 40 |
| 1945 | 26 |
| 1944 | 31 |
| 1943 | 34 |
| 1942 | 34 |
| 1941 | 40 |
| 1940 | 45 |
| 1939 | 35 |
| 1938 | 48 |
| 1937 | 41 |
| 1936 | 38 |
| 1935 | 45 |
| 1934 | 55 |
| 1933 | 44 |
| 1932 | 58 |
| 1931 | 71 |
| 1930 | 63 |
| 1929 | 68 |
| 1928 | 74 |
| 1927 | 65 |
| 1926 | 71 |
| 1925 | 84 |
| 1924 | 79 |
| 1923 | 66 |
| 1922 | 81 |
| 1921 | 72 |
| 1920 | 66 |
| 1919 | 66 |
| 1918 | 63 |
| 1917 | 56 |
| 1916 | 40 |
| 1915 | 57 |
| 1914 | 42 |
| 1913 | 38 |
| 1912 | 46 |
| 1911 | 39 |
| 1910 | 35 |
| 1909 | 28 |
| 1908 | 25 |
| 1907 | 31 |
| 1906 | 30 |
| 1905 | 22 |
| 1904 | 21 |
| 1903 | 18 |
| 1902 | 17 |
| 1901 | 19 |
| 1900 | 19 |
| 1899 | 11 |
| 1898 | 20 |
| 1897 | 20 |
| 1896 | 21 |
| 1895 | 28 |
| 1894 | 17 |
| 1893 | 19 |
| 1892 | 19 |
| 1891 | 14 |
| 1890 | 23 |
| 1889 | 20 |
| 1888 | 8 |
| 1887 | 11 |
| 1886 | 8 |
| 1885 | 11 |
| 1884 | 9 |
| 1883 | 6 |
| 1882 | 10 |
| 1881 | 5 |