Where does the name Jo come from?

Jo is a girl name of Hebrew origin.

Is Jo a boy or a girl name?

Jo is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 99% of children given the name Jo are girls and 1% are boys.

How popular is the name Jo in 2023?

Jo ranks #3400 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1954 with 8,077 babies.

How do you pronounce Jo?

Jo is pronounced JOH (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Jo?

Jo is also written as Joe, Joey, Joanne.

A name from Hebrew · Girl

Jo

A short form of Joanne, Josephine, or any Jo- name — ultimately from Hebrew Yochanan ('God is gracious') or Yosef ('he will add'). Most famous as Jo March, the tomboy heroine of Little Women.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 142-year arc in numbers.

178,987 U.S. births recorded from 1881–2023.

Popularity · 1881–2023

56 births in 2023

1881 1952 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

JA short form of Joanne, Josephine, or any Jo- name — ultimately from Hebrew Yochanan ('God is gracious') or Yosef ('he will add'). Most famous as Jo March, the tomboy heroine of Little Women.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Jo".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Joe Most common Joey Joanne

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Jo.

J
Jo March (Little Women)
J
Jo Brand (British comedian)
J
Jo Nesbø (Norwegian crime novelist)

Quick answers

People often ask about Jo.

What does the name Jo mean?: Jo means a short form of Joanne, Josephine, or any Jo- name — ultimately from Hebrew Yochanan ('God is gracious') or Yosef ('he will add'). Most famous as Jo March, the tomboy heroine of Little Women.
Where does the name Jo come from?: Jo is a girl name of Hebrew origin.
Is Jo a boy or a girl name?: Jo is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 99% of children given the name Jo are girls and 1% are boys.
How popular is the name Jo in 2023?: Jo ranks #3400 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1954 with 8,077 babies.
How do you pronounce Jo?: Jo is pronounced JOH (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Jo?: Jo is also written as Joe, Joey, Joanne.

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Bitter; beloved; wished-for child

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.