Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every Saturday, one reader’s name questions will be discussed.
We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight!
Becca writes:
My husband and I have always loved the name Josie for a girl. Now that we’re having one, we need a little more help.
We don’t like Josephine but I do like Joseline , pronounced Jo-se-leen. However, I know people would say it like Jocelyn so we may just go with Josie. Do you think the mispronunciation is worth the longer name to use if she wishes?
Our other dilemma is a middle name. We both love Josie Rocket. A rocket is the symbol of the record label that brought us together.
Personally, I am a little worried about people’s responses, even though I like it. I do like word names, though, and have considered:
- Josie Liberi, from my home state’s motto– “Montani Semper Liberi,” “Mountaineers are always Free”
- Josie Coyote, also meaningful to me but the same problem as Rocket.
- If we choose a more traditional middle name, I’d like to honor my grandma, Elaine. I’ve thought of Josie Elise or Josie Elle.
Any suggestions?
Please read on for my reply, and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Hi Becca –
Congratulations on your daughter! It can be tough when you almost-kinda-sorta have the perfect name chosen, but you’re not quite there.
It sounds like there are two questions. First, to use a formal name for Josie, or to just go with Josie on your daughter’s birth certificate.
Let’s have a quick poll, because I tend to favor formal names – but I don’t think it’s necessary in this case:
As for the question of which formal name. I expected there to be tons of options, but when I really mulled it over, there aren’t as many as I expected. Josephe seems confusing. Joanna and Jolene take away the ‘s’ sound and making Josie feel like a stretch. Josette is kind of fabulous, but I’m not sure it’s quite your style. Josefina and Joselina are a little bit frillier than the other names on your list.
I think that leaves Joseline, which I have no trouble spelling and pronouncing – though I expect you’ll run into the occasional headache.
While I tend to favor formal names, I think this might be one of those moments when it’s best to skip it. You love Josie – and agree on Josie. It sounds like that’s not the case with any of the formal versions of the name.
So despite my usual bias towards formal names, I’d vote for just Josie.
Now, on to the really rich part of this post – to use a bold middle name, or to play it safe?
Let’s take a look at your options. I’ll add a few of my ideas into the mix, too:
Josie Elise, Josie Elle, or something other form of Elaine – All good options, any of which would make a solid name for a daughter. And yet, my sense is that you would prefer to choose a bolder middle name. There are plenty of good reasons to do this, and with a familiar first name like Josie, I think you’re free to be really bold.
Josie Laine – Before we get to the bold, here’s one that’s sort of in between. Drop the ‘E’ from Elaine, and you have the sleek, modern, but not too out there Laine. Safe, but not quite conventional.
Josie Liberty – If you like the idea of honoring your home state but hesitate to use the Latin, the English form has some history as a girl’s given name. Josie Free or Josie Freedom are options, too, but they’re almost as out there as Liberi while moving farther from the original inspiration, so I don’t know that there’s any point in choosing one of those over Liberi – unless you love the sound.
Josie Coyote – Now, let’s look at the bold choices! I don’t love singsongy sound of Josie Coyote. When I say it, the ‘o’ sounds make it feel more like a name for a fictional character than a real girl. I wouldn’t say this rules it out – if Zooey Deschanel can have Elsie Otter, you could have Josie Coyote. But I don’t think it’s the best option on the list.
Josie Liberi – I really love this one. I think the rhythm works beautifully. It’s a nod to your heritage, but it’s not as obvious as passing down your name. I suppose you could also name her Josie West, or find another name that refers to your home. But Josie Liberi is just plain genius.
Josie Rocket – And yet, I’m inclined to encourage you to use Josie Rocket. It has to do with the story of how you met, then it’s even better. And many of the ideas that Pharrell expressed about the name Rocket – how it relates to achievement – make the name feel more like a modern virtue choice than anything else. Yes, it’s a cool name. But it also sounds like a name that feels right to you – and that, more than anything, is what matters.
Readers, do you agree that Josie Rocket is the go-to name for their family? Or would you suggest something different – another middle, or maybe another formal name for Josephine?
I think you can do Josie as a full name. I’m Jennie (full name) and I have never wished to be Jennifer. I much prefer Jennie. People do assume that I am Jennifer though and back when I switched schools as a child they put me down as Jennifer in all their records. Maybe these days schools wouldn’t assume like that.
My son had a couple of Josies in his class. I think they were both Josephine. Last year one went by Josephine, but this year she is Josie.
If I saw Rocket as a name I would guess it was a boy’s name, before I thought “girl”. But as a middle name, you already have Josie to point towards “girl”. It might be one of those names that would be embarrassing for awhile but then cooler when you are older. We kind of joked about giving our daughter a middle name that was a made-up version of my name. We recently mentioned that to her and at 10 years old she didn’t like the name at all, much preferring the traditional middle name that she has.
Anyhow, I think Josie Rocket would be ok to use, if you love the name. You might get a few raised eyebrows and go through a time where your daughter doesn’t want to tell people her middle -but I like that there’s a story about how you met in there.
Josie Rocket all the way!!!!!
I vote yes to Josie Rocket! Uncommon or bold middle names aren’t really that big a deal. I seldom even know anyone’s middle name until I get to know them really well. I have nothing against my middle names (I have two) but I choose to use just a middle initial on formal documents for simplicity. You love Josie Rocket and I think it has a great ring to it. A former boss of mine gave her daughter the middle name Racer which has a similarly sporty, spunky, word name sound and I think those types of names in the middle spot are especially being seen among children being born now, so again, not that big a deal.
As for Josie on its own–I tend to prefer a formal name than a nickname name and I do love both Josette and Joseline (I don’t think pronouncing it like Jocelynn rules out Josie as a nickname either), but I feel like Josie is strong enough and timeless enough to stand up on its own. It doesn’t read like a child’s name or a light and silly nickname to me. In fact to my ear it sounds quite strong. If Josie is the name you really like then giving her a longer name to get to Josie feels like an unnecessary extra step. You can tell her some of the longer names you were considering as she gets older and if at some point she decides she’d like to have or use a longer name she can always go by one of those. People change their names both officially through the courts and unofficially by just deciding they want to be called something else and telling people to call them that other thing all the time. As some other commenters have mentioned, you can’t know how your daughter will end up feeling or what she’ll love and whatever you choose here she may someday decide that something wildly different like Titiana Rose is what she wants to be called, but she’s a lot more likely to love her given name if YOU love and feel strongly about her given name and it seems like that’s how you feel about Josie Rocket, so I say go for it!
Where I live a rocket is slang for a girl that’s super hot in a sexy way. Like, “that girl is a rocket.” But it’s less a compliment and more an objectification. You can urban dictionary it. For that reason, this name would be totally unusable for me for a girl but maybe as a boy’s middle it would be ok. I don’t hate the way it sounds with Josie (which I really like and don’t think needs to be a short form of a more formal name), but I wanted to point out that slang.
I love Josie Rocket! Go for it!!
I really hope you go with Josie Rocket. I love the way it sounds and the fact that it has meaning for you is a big bonus. Good luck with your new baby!
The Josie I know actually hates having a long form of her name, she’s a Josephine on nothing but her birth certificate, most people don’t have any idea that her name is actually Josephine. Since it’s Josie that you like just name her Josie.
Five years ago my answer would have been very different. Today, I say go with Josie Rocket! The middle name slot is perfect for daring or unusual choices.
First name:
I too personally prefer a more formal name, but that is just my preference! I absolutely love love love Josette! Josefina is spunky, different and totally awesome. As for Joseline, I pronunced it exactly as you are, I didn’t have to think twice about it. So if you like that name, then go for it!! I also think Josie is perfectly fine too for a first name, so if neither of you care about a “formal” name, then don’t!!
As for middle names: 100% go with Rocket! Josie Rocket… Um ya, that’s a total kick-butt name. The only name I don’t like with Rocket is Josette. Josette Rocket is a bit too harsh to my ears but I think all the other names totally work. For some reason I don’t like Josie Coyote. It doesn’t work for me …
I think you should totally use Josie Rocket! It seems like it’s the perfect fit for you. While I myself don’t tend to like modern, bold word names, Josie Rocket just sounds really cool! It takes a common, yet cute, name and adds some unique flare. I would definitely go for it! 🙂