Jody

Jody is an English name that originated as a pet form of Jo, itself a short form of names such as Joseph or Josephine, which derive from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning "he will add" or "God will increase." It emerged as an independent given name in the United States during the twentieth century and has been used for both males and females, though it skewed feminine over time. The name gained cultural visibility through characters in American literature and film, most notably the young protagonist in Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's 1938 novel The Yearling. Related forms include Jodi, Jodie, and the longer names from which it ultimately springs, Joseph and Josephine.