Meaning:
Its source is Yosef, a Hebrew name meaning "The Lord's addition (to the family)."
Languages:
This girl's name is used in Spanish.
Nicknames: Jose, Sefa and Sefina
Popularity:
The name Josefina ranked 478th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.
Narrative:
The Latin-influenced Josephina has never been as popular as Josephine, which originated as a French nickname.
The Empress Joséphine of France (1763-1814) was born Marie Josèphe. For her, there was irony in the meaning of the name.
Joséphine married General Napoleon Bonaparte in 1796, perhaps gambling that his was a rising star. She could not have anticipated he would become emperor and she would preside over his court.
In 1809, to Joséphine's shock, the emperor had their marriage annulled on a technicality, partly because of her failure to produce an heir. Though he married an Austrian princess for purposes of state, some say he never stopped loving his first wife. Defeated, exiled and dying, his last words were reported as ''Joséphine, Joséphine!''
