Total births
3,231
Unisex name · since 1915
Josey
Josey has 3,231 recorded births since 1915 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2012 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2308
- among girls today
- 3,231
- born since 1915
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other girls
3,231 babies have been named Josey since 1915, making it today's #2308 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Josey recorded 3,231 times among girls since 1915, holding rank #2308 nationally today, ahead of 87% of girls, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2025.
- #2308 among girls today
- 3,231 born since 1915
- 2010s peak decade
- 87% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Josey is currently the #2308 unisex name in America, more common than 87% of girls - 3,231 born since 1915, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2308
- among girls today
- 3,231
- born since 1915
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other girls
Josey vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#2308
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 87% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Josey was born in this single decade.
2012
Single peak year
106 babies were named Josey in 2012 - its busiest year on record.
How Josey compares
3,231 Top 17% higher than 83% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Josey's all-time total is 8x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Josey | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,231 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 106 | 48 | 19,840 |
Josey's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Josey splits its recorded history at 1992: 86% of all births land in the more recent half, 14% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1915 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2012 peak of 106 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Josey at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2012
Current rank
#2,308
Active since
1915
Josey popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2025
- Peak year (2012)
- 106
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Josey popularity over time - boys
1,017 total births recorded since 1976 (Josey as boys' name)
Josey by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Josey's strongest decade.
905 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Josey births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 5
1910s
5 births
- 1920s 12
1920s
12 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s 23
1940s
23 births
- 1950s 26
1950s
26 births
- 1960s 7
1960s
7 births
- 1970s 73
1970s
73 births
- 1980s 225
1980s
225 births
- 1990s
1990s
594 births
- 2000s
2000s
882 births
- 2010s
2010s
905 births
- 2020s
2020s
474 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 905 births (28% of all-time use).
How Josey compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Josey's total volume
Josey vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Josey by state
Where Josey concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 355 | 11.0% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 91 | 2.8% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 61 | 1.9% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 54 | 1.7% |
| #5 | Indiana | | 48 | 1.5% |
| #6 | Tennessee | | 47 | 1.5% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 44 | 1.4% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 39 | 1.2% |
Texas share of Josey's total US births 11.0%
Even split
355 of 3,231 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Josey appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Josey? ▼
3,231 babies have been named Josey since 1915. It currently ranks #2308 among girls. The peak year was 2012 with 106 births.
When was Josey most popular? ▼
Josey was most popular in the 2010s decade with 905 total births. The single peak year was 2012.
Where is Josey most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Josey are Texas (355 births), Ohio (91 births), Georgia (61 births).
Is Josey a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Josey is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 3,231 births, and as a boy's name it has 1,017 births.
How long has the name Josey been used? ▼
Josey has been recorded in Social Security data since 1915, spanning 111 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Josey? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Josephine, Josie, Joselyn, Josefina, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Josey's data
- Josey's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (905 total births) through the 2020s (474) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Joseys (355 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Josey
Nearby Names Like Josey
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Josey
Josephine Girl
#56 331,467 births
Josie Girl
#88 75,370 births
Joselyn Girl
#1207 18,214 births
Josefina Girl
#2054 13,932 births
Joslyn Girl
#2253 11,227 births
Compare Josey side by side: Josey vs Josephine Josey vs Josie Josey vs Joselyn
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Josey
Kelsie #2307
19,591 births · Peak 1993
Kalliope #2309
1,323 births · Peak 2025
Deanna #2306
134,477 births · Peak 1970
Illiana #2310
2,095 births · Peak 2011
Yvonne #2305
156,119 births · Peak 1953
Ani #2311
3,183 births · Peak 2007
Ottilie #2304
1,093 births · Peak 2024
Fatimah #2312
3,700 births · Peak 2020
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1915–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Josey: #2308 Unisex Name - 3,231 Births, Peak 2012." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/josey. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Josey draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.