Josey
Boy name · #4183 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Josey? In official American birth records, Josey has been tracked continuously since 1976, giving it 49 years of documented American history.
Josey ranks #4183 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 25 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #6676, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 72,000 boys born in 2025 was named Josey.
Babies named Josey per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 49-year story
Josey first appears in the Social Security records in 1976, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1989, when 42 boys were named Josey — good for #1793 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.
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 Kasey, Korey, Jamel, Willy, and Kori.
KaseyKoreyJamelWillyKoriJamilJarvisJamar
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Josey | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #4139 |
| 2024 | 27 | #3986 |
| 2023 | 19 | #5075 |
| 2022 | 21 | #4701 |
| 2021 | 19 | #4936 |
| 2020 | 22 | #4426 |
| 2019 | 16 | #5555 |
| 2018 | 16 | #5540 |
| 2017 | 23 | #4331 |
| 2016 | 18 | #5124 |
| 2015 | 12 | #6676 |
| 2014 | 17 | #5252 |
| 2013 | 17 | #5171 |
| 2012 | 15 | #5720 |
| 2011 | 6 | #10808 |
| 2010 | 15 | #5741 |
| 2009 | 14 | #6095 |
| 2008 | 16 | #5487 |
| 2007 | 15 | #5661 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7427 |
| 2005 | 8 | #8299 |
| 2004 | 18 | #4602 |
| 2003 | 14 | #5271 |
| 2002 | 18 | #4322 |
| 2001 | 18 | #4302 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Josey?
In official American birth records, the name Josey first appeared in 1976 (over 49 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 49 years.
Is Josey a popular boy name?
Josey ranked #4183 among boys in 2025 with 25 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6676.
When was the name Josey most popular?
Josey peaked in 1989, when 42 American boys received the name (ranked #1793 that year). Since 1989 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Josey?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 72,000 newborn American boys 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.