How popular is the baby name Josephine in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Josephine.

The graph will take a few moments to load. (Don't worry, it shouldn't take 9 months!) If it's taking too long, try reloading the page.


Popularity of the baby name Josephine


Posts that mention the name Josephine

Where did the baby name Gia come from?

Actress Gia Scala (1934-1972)
Gia Scala

The Italian name Gia is a pet form of Gianna, which itself is a contracted form of Giovanna (akin to Joanna). But Gia as a standalone name was very rare in the U.S. until the late 1950s, when usage increased enough for the name to debut in the U.S. baby name data:

  • 1959: 51 baby girls named Gia
  • 1958: 43 baby girls named Gia
  • 1957: 18 baby girls named Gia [debut]
  • 1956: unlisted
  • 1955: unlisted

What gave it a boost?

America’s first famous Gia: actress Gia Scala, whose career took off in the late 1950s.

Her “real” name is hard to pin down. She was born in England with the name Josephine Scoglio. But…she spent her childhood in Italy, and when she applied for U.S. citizenship in 1957, she said her legal name was Giovanna Scoglio.

In any case, she started going by Gia not long after she moved to the U.S. (in the early 1950s), and Universal Studios gave her the stage name “Gia Scala” at the start of her film career.

Graph of the usage of the baby name Gia in the U.S. since 1880
Usage of the baby name Gia

Since then, several other famous Gias have also influenced the charts…

  • Fashion model Gia Marie Carangi was at the peak of her fame in the late ’70s and early ’80s. It doesn’t look like her modeling career had any impact on the baby name Gia, but when the TV movie Gia starring Angelina Jolie came out in 1998, usage of the name more than tripled, and the compound name Giamarie debuted.
  • Usage more than doubled from 2009 to 2011 (when Gia peaked in the national rankings at 300th place) thanks to two people: reality TV contestant Gia Allamand, who appeared on both The Bachelor and Bachelor Pad in 2010, and celebrity baby Gia Francesca, born to Mario Lopez and his wife in September of 2010.

Do you like the name Gia? Would you ever use it?

Sources: Gia Scala – Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen, Gia Scala – Wikipedia

P.S. Gia Allamand was on the same season of The Bachelor as Tenley Molzahn, whose name, Tenley, also happened to be a 1950s debut in the SSA data.

North Dakota towns with female names

North Dakota
North Dakota

Here’s a newspaper article from the 1930s that features a list of North Dakota towns with female names:

When a train conductor calls “Bessie” and “Josephine” in North Dakota he is not addressing passengers by their first names.

For these and other feminine names were given to towns and villages by rugged pioneers.

Prominent among the list is the cow town of Medora in Billings county, known as the ranching headquarters of Theodore Roosevelt.

Others are: Ines, Norma, Olga, Christine, Silvia, Hannah, Frances, Janet, Stella, Willa, Ella, Mary, Flora, Marion, Alice, Elizabeth, Sophia, Beulah, Kathryn, Jessie, Luverne, Juanita, Freda, Cherry and Mona.

(Only Ella is among the top 10 baby girl names in the state right now.)

Which of the above names do you like best?

Source: “Dakota Pioneers Gave Towns Feminine Names.” Miami Daily News-Record [Miami, OK] 2 Feb. 1936: 8.

Image: Adapted from Theodore Roosevelt NP ND10 by Acroterion under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Numerology: Baby names with a value of 2

Baby names with a numerological value of 2

If you’re on the hunt for baby names with a numerological value of 2, you’re in luck! Because today’s post features hundreds of 2-names.

Before we get to the names, though — how do we know that they’re “twos” in numerology?

Turning names into numbers

Here’s how to calculate the numerological value of a name.

First, for each letter, come up with a number to represent that letter’s position in the alphabet. (Letter A would be number 1, letter B would be number 2, and so forth.) Then, add all the numbers together. If the sum has two or more digits, add the digits together recursively until the result is a single digit. That single digit is the name’s numerological value.

For instance, the letters in the name Aurora correspond to the numbers 1, 21, 18, 15, 18, and 1. The sum of these numbers is 74. The digits of 74 added together equal 11, and the digits of 11 added together equal 2 — the numerological value of Aurora.

Baby names with a value of 2

Below you’ll find the most popular 2-names per gender, according to the latest U.S. baby name data. I’ve further sub-categorized them by total sums — just in case any of those larger numbers are significant to anyone.

2 via 11

The letters in the following baby names add up to 11, which reduces to two (1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 11)Boy names (2 via 11)
Adea, Fe, AiaAj, Ja, Cabe

2 via 20

The letters in the following baby names add up to 20, which reduces to two (2+0=2).

Girl names (2 via 20)Boy names (2 via 20)
Jade, Dana, Jia, Deja, Ara, HibaAbel, Adan, Gage, Kace, Jai, Ean, Chace, Jade, Fahad

2 via 29

The letters in the following baby names add up to 29, which reduces to two (2+9=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 29)Boy names (2 via 29)
Aria, Alana, Diana, Nadia, Dania, Ann, Sia, Adina, Calla, Asha, Aira, Isa, Sade, Kacie, Aine, BeauBeau, Aidan, Dax, Khai, Isa, Lake, Eliab, Alek, Sai, Kael, Eian, Abiel, Aman

2 via 38

The letters in the following baby names add up to 38, which reduces to two (3+8=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 38)Boy names (2 via 38)
Sadie, Alaina, Nina, Paige, Amina, Aisha, Cecelia, Hanna, Amani, Chaya, Noah, Analia, Aliana, Aleena, Halle, Jamie, Belen, Ocean, Kaya, Frida, Malka, Kaleah, Malak, Agatha, Naima, Keila, Kaeli, Rena, Dora, Nava, Elli, AlyNoah, Max, Bodhi, Jared, Jaime, Ocean, Jamie, Mike, Jair, Gadiel, Cayde, Deon, Isai, Craig, Asiah, Amare, Eddy, Oden, Amani, Bohdi, Ames, Glen, Aren, Naeem, Alpha, Ameen, Zach, Lipa, Nabil, Asael, Chaz, Kamal, Kaz

2 via 47

The letters in the following baby names add up to 47, which reduces to two (4+7=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 47)Boy names (2 via 47)
Sarah, Kamila, Hallie, Rachel, Alora, Leona, Blaire, Reina, Adley, Capri, Iyla, Galilea, Jream, Birdie, Kaiya, Leanna, Renee, Ivana, Avani, Dalilah, Leilah, Liz, Jalani, Myah, Aylah, Maple, Althea, Khari, Juana, Raine, Cambria, Liya, Nadine, Ayat, Tegan, Macey, Amor, Belinda, Ines, Isra, Taya, Adaleigh, Jolee, Roma, Anjali, Banks, Malika, Amarie, Havana, Vaani, Klani, Legend, Kendal, Azara, Cambree, Adrian, Sahar, Taleah, Dearra, Enola, VaniaJohn, Isaiah, Adrian, Legend, Malachi, Omar, Cody, Banks, Damon, Callen, Shane, Zeke, Dario, Rex, Trace, Wes, Khari, Khaza, Crue, Darian, Ivaan, Gerald, Gus, Malaki, Aslan, Loki, Deklan, Arman, Canon, Avian, Deion, Viaan, Advik, Aris, Kota, Nigel, Jream, Jahari, Zaki, Amor, Kato, Tegan, Jhon, Conan, Hart, Maleek, Judge, Bauer, Caesar, Jamin, Khalan

2 via 56

The letters in the following baby names add up to 56, which reduces to two (5+6=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 56)Boy names (2 via 56)
Ivy, Charlie, Norah, Aliyah, Selena, Elianna, Maisie, Armani, Lyra, Emmy, April, Dylan, Noemi, Marina, Arlet, Azaria, Khalani, Aubrie, Sariah, Nori, Sarahi, Kahlani, Haylee, Marian, Ayanna, Jovi, Cassie, Kenya, Denise, Zella, Blayke, Karlie, Noelia, Namari, Isis, Marwa, Alanis, Graciela, Camellia, Moira, Emoni, Kinlee, Arabelle, Hellen, Ananya, Ryla, Miyah, Ruhi, Amorah, Jailani, Kelis, Teigan, Klaire, Romee, Kyara, AnsleeLucas, Dylan, Nolan, Charlie, Felix, Oscar, Mario, Armani, Omari, Pierce, Zayd, Rohan, Yadiel, Jasiel, Will, Jacoby, Kilian, Malikai, Emmet, Davon, Xavi, Jovi, Wolf, Orin, Jordi, Kaito, Jaycob, Lathan, Orhan, Tahir, Damion, Damoni, Jahsiah, Hardy, Namari, Nyle, Ahron, Kayne, Musab, Abubakr, Dutch, Kayleb, Rion, Alexei, Kailer, Ammon, Walt, Arnav

2 via 65

The letters in the following baby names add up to 65, which reduces to two (6+5=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 65)Boy names (2 via 65)
Eloise, Rylee, Isabelle, Palmer, Alondra, Carter, Freyja, Vienna, Bridget, Kelly, Zayla, Chandler, Lenora, Desiree, Marcella, Salome, Lorena, Emberlee, Heather, Carmella, Brinlee, Elissa, Damaris, Aracely, Ashly, Daylin, Alessi, Avalon, Rihanna, Shyla, Addelyn, Calista, Jahzara, Mildred, Dailyn, Raeleigh, Elanor, Avaleigh, Ayzal, Aiyanna, Annabeth, Kenzi, Doris, Jaclyn, Seven, Haylen, Mindy, Devora, Kathy, Saraya, Alyza, Mayeli, Sanvi, Adilyn, Astraea, Larkin, Emorie, Jozie, Kirby, AinsleeCarter, Andrew, Javier, Prince, Collin, Uriel, Shawn, Conor, Chandler, Mylo, Dennis, Eliseo, Loyal, Seven, Lochlan, Reuben, Fisher, Ermias, Henrik, Stefan, Brett, Davion, Palmer, Benito, Kolby, Krish, Gannon, Tariq, Kelly, Rylee, Cosmo, Paulo, Radley, Mylan, Advaith, Dinero, Federico, Korben, Kaeson, Shlok, Daylin, Rivaan, Subhan, Demario, Hayze, Parks, Joniel, Jahsir, Dansby, Deondre, Rainer, Kirby, Ziyad

2 via 74

The letters in the following baby names add up to 74, which reduces to two (7+4=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 74)Boy names (2 via 74)
Aurora, Madelyn, Audrey, Melody, Margot, Zuri, Lennon, Marley, Lucille, London, Daleyza, Camryn, Estella, Winnie, Zaylee, Penny, Paulina, Novalee, Giuliana, Lilyana, Laylani, Raquel, Landry, Elowen, Susan, Antonia, Robyn, Sailor, Lucero, Aryanna, Zamora, Sonya, Maylin, Natalya, Katrina, Acelynn, Maizy, Josey, Zalayah, Emelyn, SahilyJoshua, Easton, Myles, Jesus, Matteo, Messiah, Muhammad, Desmond, Axton, Lennon, Ryland, Tony, Larry, Byron, Cartier, London, Ramiro, Landry, Marley, Wiley, Rylen, Ziggy, Juelz, Agastya, Yakov, Fredrick, Deshawn, Wylie, Kysen, Camryn, Isidro, Gavriel, Nehemias, Mavrik, Jaxyn, Finnigan, Conley, Cross, Orrin, Lucifer, Korey, Demetri, Grayden, Oswald, Vikram, Willem, Jaysen, Sailor, Remmy, Yadriel, Ayush, Dhruva, Elwood

2 via 83

The letters in the following baby names add up to 83, which reduces to two (8+3=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 83)Boy names (2 via 83)
Evelyn, Violet, Margaret, Catherine, Valery, Emmalyn, Giovanna, Addilynn, Memphis, Yuliana, Bentley, Kinsey, Jehilyn, Sury, Harmonie, Berkeley, Klover, Averly, WisdomJonathan, Jaxson, Bentley, Memphis, Alonzo, Shepherd, Forest, Judson, Coleson, Thatcher, Branson, Foster, Mattias, Markus, Milton, Zaylen, Brysen, Stephan, Roderick, Jetson, Stellan, Riggins, Kyron, Wisdom, Hershy

2 via 92

The letters in the following baby names add up to 92, which reduces to two (9+2=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 92)Boy names (2 via 92)
Oaklynn, Sydney, Sylvie, Madilynn, Kaitlyn, Mckinley, Estrella, Marilyn, Sapphire, Everley, Heavenly, Rilynn, Vivianna, Lorraine, Journei, Journie, Rosalind, Kollins, Litzy, Rooney, Harlynn, Porter, Collette, Charlette, Aniston, OzzyJulius, Santino, Porter, Yusuf, Ozzy, Wilson, Salvador, Watson, Zakariya, Khyson, Tyrell, Avrohom, Morris, Lisandro, Jennings, Jarrett, Hamilton, Tyrese, Calloway, Leviathan, Juanpablo, Mckinley, Marvens, Tyron

2 via 101

The letters in the following baby names add up to 101, which reduces to two (1+0+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 101)Boy names (2 via 101)
Josephine, Murphy, Christina, Brynley, Wrenleigh, Kristina, Sherlyn, Jaylynn, Everlyn, Lynette, AllissonChristian, Tristan, Forrest, Murphy, Kristian, Garrison, Brentley, Jovanny, Binyomin, Rustin, Marquez

2 via 110

The letters in the following baby names add up to 110, which reduces to two (1+1+0=2).

Girl names (2 via 110)Boy names (2 via 110)
Loyalty, Stormy, Sullivan, Amaryllis, SparrowTimothy, Sullivan, Quinton, Youssef, Justus, Tristian, Alexzander, Octavius, Tyshawn, Joseluis

2 via 119

The letters in the following baby names add up to 119, which reduces to two (1+1+9=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 119)Boy names (2 via 119)
Gwendolyn, Josselyn, Suttyn, Lovelynn, CarringtonKingstyn, Treyvon, Aristotle, Theodoros, Carrington

2 via 128

The letters in the following baby names add up to 128, which reduces to two (1+2+8=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 128)Boy names (2 via 128)
Kensington, Scottlyn, Jazzlynn, Yuritzi, CourtlynVittorio, Remmington, Huckleberry, Quintrell, Florentino

Number 2: Significance and associations

What does the number two mean in numerology?

There’s no definitive answer, unfortunately, because various numerological systems exist, and each one has its own interpretation of the number two. That said, if we look at a couple of modern numerology/astrology websites, we see 2 being described as “diplomatic,” “cooperative,” “peaceful,” “gentle,” and “understanding.”

We can also look at associations, which are a bit more concrete. Here are some things that are associated with the number 2:

  • Hands
  • Feet
  • Eyes
  • Ears
  • Lungs
  • Chopsticks
  • Knitting needles
  • Complementary pairings (e.g., pen and paper, bow and arrow, peanut butter and jelly)
  • Dualities (e.g., day and night, yin and yang, war and peace)
  • Boxing (2 competitors; 2 fists)
  • Partner dancing
  • DNA double helix

What does the number 2 mean to you? What are your strongest associations with the number?

P.S. To see names with other numerological values, check out the posts for the numbers one, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine.

Sources: SSA, Numerology – Cafe Astrology, The meaning of the numbers 1 – 9 – World Numerology, 2 – Wikipedia

[Latest update: Jan. 2024]

Where did the baby name Oona come from in 1942?

Oona O'Neill in a Woodbury soap advertisement in Life magazine (March, 1943)
Oona O’Neill

The Irish name Oona first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in the 1940s:

  • 1944: 5 baby girls named Oona
  • 1943: 7 baby girls named Oona
  • 1942: 5 baby girls named Oona [debut]
  • 1941: unlisted
  • 1940: unlisted

Why?

It was thanks to Oona O’Neill, daughter of Eugene and Agnes O’Neill, both writers.

Oona was born in Bermuda in 1925, five years after her father won his first Pulitzer Prize.

In the early 1940s, Oona was a teenage socialite with famous friends. And in April of 1942, when the 16-year-old debutante was selected as the top “glamour girl” of New York society at the Stork Club, she became famous.

Oona got offers from film studios, and if she had gone in that direction, her name might have become more popular during the 1940s. Instead, she became the wife of Charlie Chaplin in June of 1943, when she was 18 and he was 54. Not long after that, her name dropped back off the charts.

(Oona and Charlie went on to have eight children, named: Geraldine, Michael, Josephine, Victoria, Eugene, Jane, Annette, and Christopher. Geraldine’s daughter Oona Chaplin played the part of Talisa Maegyr on Game of Thrones a few years ago.)

These days, the name Oona (which is actually a spelling variant of Úna) is relatively close to the U.S. top 1,000:

  • 2017: 93 baby girls named Oona [rank: 2,085th]
  • 2016: 111 baby girls named Oona [rank: 1,856th]
  • 2015: 131 baby girls named Oona [rank: 1,634th]
  • 2014: 63 baby girls named Oona [rank: 2,761st]
  • 2013: 38 baby girls named Oona [rank: 3,977th]

Do you think it will ever get there?

What are your thoughts on the baby name Oona?

P.S. “Oona” was back in the baby name data in 1954, the year a character named Oona could be seen on the big screen in the movie Taza, Son of Cochise.

P.P.S. I also mentioned Charlie Chaplin in this post about the name Cherrill.

Sources:

Image: Clipping from Life magazine (March 8, 1943)