How to say it
jo · SÉ
/hoʊˈseɪ/
Masculine
Jose
He will add
What it means
Spanish and Portuguese form of Joseph, from Hebrew Yosef ('he will add'). The most common given name in Spanish-speaking countries for much of the 20th century.
José is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Joseph, ultimately from the Hebrew Yosef. The J is pronounced as an aspirated H in Spanish (hoh-SAY) and as a soft Sh in Portuguese (zhoo-ZEH). In Spanish-speaking countries José was the dominant masculine name for decades, anchored by Saint Joseph (San José) as the patron of many Catholic communities and by the saint's day on March 19. José as a compound (José Luis, José María, José Manuel) is its own Spanish naming tradition. The English-speaking US has used José in earnest since the mid-20th century with Latino immigration patterns. Pepe is the traditional Spanish nickname.
Popularity over time
peaked at #28 in 2004, currently #95 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
Spanish hoh-SEH (with the accent on the second syllable: José), Portuguese zhoh-ZEH (Portuguese J is softer). Not joze in either tradition.
- Nickname
Pepe is the traditional Spanish short. Compound names like José Luis and José María are their own naming tradition; either half can become the daily-use name.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Saint Joseph Husband of Mary, patron of fathers and many Catholic communities (San José)
- José Saramago Portuguese novelist, Nobel Prize in Literature 1998
- José Andrés Spanish-American chef and humanitarian, founder of World Central Kitchen
Spelling variants
- José
- Joseph
- Giuseppe
Names with the same feeling
See Jose from another angle
By meaning
By style