Josephine

/ˌdʒoʊsəˈfiːn/ noun

Definition

A female given name of Hebrew origin, famously borne by Josephine de Beauharnais, the first Empress of France and wife of Napoleon.

Etymology

From Hebrew 'Yosef' (God increases) plus the French diminutive suffix '-ine.' The name became associated with elegance and 19th-century glamour through Josephine Bonaparte.

Kelly Says

Josephine de Beauharnais rose from a French plantation family to become Empress of France through marrying Napoleon—she was 6 years his senior and outlived him by 16 years, and she's the only one of his wives remembered fondly. Her name became so associated with sophistication that it appears in everything from perfume brands to the Josephine Baker song, making it one of history's most glamorous personal names.

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