Jose Overview
- Meaning: God Will Increase
- Gender: Male
- Origin: “Hebrew”
- Pronunciation: “ho-ZAY”
- Popularity: 89th most popular name in the United States.
- Nicknames: Pepe, Pepito, Joe, JoJo, Ze, ZeZe.
- Variations: Giuseppe, Yusef, Joseph, Yazid, Seosamh.
- Namesakes: Jose Rizal, Jose de San Martin, Jose the Galilean.
What Does Jose Mean?
The name Jose is a Spanish and Portuguese variation of the name Joseph. It is a male name meaning “God Will Increase.” It is Hebrew in origin.
What Is the Origin of the Name Jose?
The name Jose comes from the Hebrew name Joseph. It comes from the verb yasap. In Hebrew, yasap means to add or to increase. The name traces back to the Old Testament of the Bible.
In the Book of Genesis, Joseph was Jacob’s 11th son. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Eventually, he became the second most powerful person in Egypt. Only the pharaoh had more power than Joseph.
The Greek version of the name is in the New Testament. Joseph is the husband of the Virgin Mary.
How Popular is the Name Jose?
According to the Social Security Administration, in 2021, Jose was the 89th most popular name in the United States (1). It increased slightly from 2020. That year, it was the 94th most popular name in America. The name peaked in 2004 when it was the 28th most popular in the United States.
In Spain, Jose was the 26th most popular name in 2021. Although Jose is still a popular name in Mexico, others are more popular. Names like Santiago, Mateo, and Diego are more popular than Jose in Mexico.
How Do I Pronounce Jose?
The name Jose is pronounced “ho-ZAY.”
In English, the name Jose is pronounced with an “H” sound and not a “J” sound like the name Joseph. When spelled phonetically, it is “ho-ZAY. “
The “ho” is pronounced like the common word “so.” And the “ZAY” rhymes with the English word “say.”
Is Jose a Boy or a Girl Name
The name Jose is mostly male. It is popular in Spanish-speaking nations like Portugal, Spain, and Mexico. In France, it is applied as the second half of female names when used for girls. An example of this is the name Maria-Jose.
According to Wikipedia, in Netherlandic Dutch, Jose is also female (2). This female version is often a short variation of Josina or Johanna. It was used by English women during medieval times.
Variations of Jose
The English version of the name is Joseph. Many variations of the name Jose are related to the English variation also. Similar versions include:
- Giuseppe
- Pepe
- Yusef
- Yosef
- Yousef
- Joseph
- Josephus
- Jody
- Josip
- Josepe
- Isuf
- Issouf
- Seosamh
- Pino
- Yazid
Nicknames for Jose
Jose is a globally recognized name with a history from the Old Testament. Because of this fact, there are a number of nicknames. Nicknames for Jose include:
- Pepe
- Pepito
- Peso
- Joe
- Jo
- Josi
- Jos
- JoJo
- Ze
- ZeZe
- Zef
- Joey
- Joso
- Jozo
- Pino
Similar Names to Jose
There are many names similar to Jose. Some of them have the same name meaning also. Here is a list of names that are similar to Jose.
Middle Names for Jose
The name Jose is predominantly male. But it is used as a middle name for females. Here is a list of popular middle names for Jose for both boys and girls.
For Boys:
- Jose Hector
- Jose Augusto
- Jose Domingo
- Jose Daniel
- Jose Mario
- Jose David
- Jose Jorge
- Jose Francisco
- Jose Jesus
- Jose Sebastian
- Jose Carlos
- Jose Emanuel
- Jose Felix
- Jose Mauricio
- Jose Omar
For Girls:
- Amanda Jose
- Daniella Jose
- Rosario Jose
- Olinda Jose
- Rosa Jose
- Marcia Jose
- Ireneo Jose
- Nadia Jose
- Mariela Jose
- Paula Jose
- Nadia Jose
- Johana Jose
- Alejandra Jose
- Carla Jose
- Claudia Jose
Sibling Names for Jose
Here is a list of common names for siblings from families who have children named Jose.
- Angel
- Antonio
- Diego
- Santiago
- Xavier
- Mateo
- Jaun
- Jesus
- Mario
- Domingo
- Pablo
- Carlos
- Esmerelda
- Carmen
- Lucia
Famous People Named Jose
There is a long list of famous people and celebrities named Jose. These are just a few of those who have been born all around the world.
- Jose Feliciano: Puerto Rican musician born in 1945 famous for songs like “Feliz Navidad” and “Light My Fire.”
- Jose Mari Bakero: Spanish soccer player and manager born in 1963.
- Jose Mesa: Major League Baseball (MLB) star who was born in the Dominican Republic in 1966.
- Jose Jose: Mexican singer, musician, and actor born to a musical family in 1948.
- Jose Luis Ramirez: two-time World Light Heavyweight championship boxer born in Mexico in 1958.
- Jose Napoleon Duarte: former president of El Salvador from 1984 to 1989.
- Jose Guillen: professional baseball player who competed for 10 different MLB teams before his retirement.
- Jose Aldo: a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight champion who was undefeated for a decade from 2005-2015.
- Jose Canseco: born in Cuba in 1964, Canseco is a popular World Series winning baseball player and American television actor.
- Jose Carreras: a successful opera tenor born in Barcelona, Spain in 1946.
Jose in Popular Culture
The name Jose is often used in books, films, and television. Here is a small list of times the name Jose has appeared in popular culture.
- Jose Carioca: the animated bird from Disney’s The Three Caballeros.
- Jose Croce: an anime and manga character from the series Gunslinger Girl.
- Jose Agilar: a fictional character from the Bad News Bears film series.
- Jose Quesada: a comic book and film character from the DC Comics Universe.
- Jose Yero: a fictional character from the popular TV series Miami Vice.
Jose FAQs
What Does the Name Jose Mean in Different Languages?
Jose is derived from the Portuguese and Spanish forms of Joseph. It is pronounced differently in each language. In French, the name Jose is an old slang dialect form of Joseph.
How Common Is Jose in the US?
Jose is common in the Hispanic community similar to the name Joseph in the U.S. In America, its usage has decreased. Jose has not crossed over into the Anglo naming culture.
How Do You Pronounce Jose in Dutch?
In Dutch, Jose is pronounced ‘jo:se. It is short for the feminine name Josina. Examples include Olympic swimmer José Damen and pop singer José Hoebee.
