Jo

Jo is a short form of names beginning with Jo-, most commonly Josephine, Joanna, or Joan, all of which trace back ultimately to the Hebrew name Yohanah or Yosef, carrying meanings of God is gracious or God will increase respectively. It emerged as an independent given name in English-speaking countries during the nineteenth century, gaining particular cultural resonance through the character Jo March in Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women (1868). The name has been used for both men and women, functioning also as a short form of the masculine Joseph or Johann in various European traditions. Related forms include Joe, Joey, Joanna, Josie, and Johanna.