Josey
Girl name · #2792 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Josey? In official American birth records, Josey has been tracked continuously since 1915, giving it 110 years of documented American history.
Josey is currently the #2792 girl name in the United States — 61 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2408, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 29,508 girls born in 2025 was named Josey.
The 110-year story
Josey first appears in the Social Security records in 1915, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 106 girls were named Josey — good for #1886 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Josey per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Josey against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Josey in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Josey is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Josey will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Josey is most common
State-level data for Josey is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Josey
Statistically, parents drawn to Josey tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kinsey, Jersey, Jacey, Ramsey, and Janely.
KinseyJerseyJaceyRamseyJanelyOdysseyChesneyKiley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Josey | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 61 | #2778 |
| 2024 | 80 | #2303 |
| 2023 | 74 | #2415 |
| 2022 | 86 | #2193 |
| 2021 | 89 | #2119 |
| 2020 | 84 | #2156 |
| 2019 | 86 | #2155 |
| 2018 | 87 | #2159 |
| 2017 | 93 | #2087 |
| 2016 | 78 | #2385 |
| 2015 | 76 | #2408 |
| 2014 | 89 | #2139 |
| 2013 | 99 | #1977 |
| 2012 | 106 | #1886 |
| 2011 | 97 | #2017 |
| 2010 | 94 | #2093 |
| 2009 | 104 | #1989 |
| 2008 | 88 | #2234 |
| 2007 | 86 | #2257 |
| 2006 | 96 | #2050 |
| 2005 | 93 | #2014 |
| 2004 | 69 | #2446 |
| 2003 | 91 | #1985 |
| 2002 | 82 | #2081 |
| 2001 | 76 | #2151 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Josey?
In official American birth records, the name Josey first appeared in 1915 (over 110 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 110 years.
Is Josey a popular girl name?
Josey ranked #2792 among girls in 2025 with 61 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2408.
When was the name Josey most popular?
Josey peaked in 2012, when 106 American girls received the name (ranked #1886 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Josey?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 29,508 newborn American girls was named Josey. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.