National Jose Day - Celebrations are in full swing as we mark National José Day. Discover the origins of the name and how to celebrate it.

National Jose Day 2024 – September 13, 2024

We celebrate National José Day on September 13 every year. It has been among the most popular names for newborn boys since the Social Security Administration (S.S.A.) began keeping records. After several years at the top, it has since dropped down the list. In 2011, it was shoved down into second place by Jacob, ending its stay at the top of Texan boy names since 1996. This observance celebrates the name and its colorful history. From legendary football managers to Nobel Prize-winning writers, there is no doubting the influence of Joses in modern society.

History of National Jose Day

José is a Spanish and Portuguese variant of the given name Joseph. Each language has a distinct pronunciation for the name, despite the fact that it is spelled the same.José is an old vernacular variant of Joseph, which is also used as a given name in French. José is also widely used in feminine name composites, such as Maria José and Marie-José, and masculine name composites, such as José Maria, José Manuel, or Antonio José. Josée, as in French, is the feminine written version.José, however, is a feminine given name in Netherlandic Dutch; it can be found as part of name composites such as Marie-José or as an outright feminine first name; it can also be a short form of Josina or indeed a Dutch nickname for Johanna.Jose is a Romano-Celtic surname in England. People with this surname are typically found in, or may be connected to, the British county of Cornwall, which was very common around the 1300s as in the English names Josephine and Joseph.According to another interpretation, Jose is related to Joyce; Joyce is a combined English and Irish family name, originating from the Breton forename Iodoc, which was brought to England by the Normans as Josse. In medieval England, the name was sometimes given to women, although it was mostly given to men; the derivative surname Jose is mainly seen in Devon and Cornwall.This given name’s common spelling across languages is an example of an interlingual homograph. Similar situations can be found in English given names such as Bertrand, Daniel, Albert, Ferdinand, Eric, and Christine, which are not unique to the English language and can also be found in French with a slightly different pronunciation but the same spelling.

National Jose Day timeline

1815
José María Morelos is Executed

Morelos, a Mexican priest and rebel commander who was a leader in the Mexican War of Independence, is executed for treason by civil authorities.

1896
José Rizal is Executed

Rizal, a Filipino nationalist, is murdered during the Philippine Revolution because of his rebellious writings.

1963
José Mourinho is Born

Mourinho, the famous Portuguese football manager, is born on January 26.

1998
José Saramago Receives the Nobel Prize

Saramago, the talented Portuguese writer, receives the Nobel Prize in Literature.

National Jose Day FAQs

What does the name José mean in terms of personality?

People associate the name José with someone who is appealing, fashionable, diplomatic, polite, and graceful. People like to be them because they have a relaxed and non-threatening demeanor.

Does the name José have an accent mark?

Thousands of Spanish names have been Americanized over the years. José is frequently spelled as Jose without any accent mark.

Why is Pepe short for Jose?

Pepe, José’s nickname, is derived from Jesus’ presumed father, Joseph. Pater Putativus, which is frequently abbreviated as P.P., is the Latin term for putative father. You’ll understand why people call José “Pepe” if you read that abbreviation out loud in Spanish.

National Jose Day Activities

  1. Celebrate someone named José

    Do you know anyone named José? If you do, today’s a good opportunity to celebrate them with a gift, dinner date, or a trip to the movies.

  2. Find out what your name means

    Many people have no clue what their names mean or their history. If you’re guilty of this, today is your chance to remedy that situation.

  3. Raise awareness

    Do your part in making this a special day for people named José. Share details about the holiday on social media to generate a buzz.

5 Interesting Facts About The Name José

  1. Josés’ lucky colors

    Lucky colors for the name José include light orange, gray, dark blue, and khaki.

  2. Josés’ lucky gems

    The lucky gems for José are light blue sapphire and gomed.

  3. Josés’ lucky days

    Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday are all lucky days for José.

  4. Josés have great traits

    People named José are strong, ambitious, competitive, and charming.

  5. Josés are smart

    Josés are fast thinkers and fast learners.

Why We Love National Jose Day

  1. We celebrate all the great Josés

    The name José has strong links to bravery, intelligence, talent, and valiant acts of selflessness. From Morelos to Saramago and Mourinho, the name isn’t short of notable bearers.

  2. We celebrate the power of names

    Names are an influential part of who we become. This holiday emphasizes self-acceptance and reminds us to appreciate ourselves.

  3. It is all about educating the public

    Few people pay attention to the meaning of names — even their own. This observance sheds light on the history of this popular Hispanic name, including its variations and connections to other names in different languages and countries.

National Jose Day dates

Year Date Day
2023 September 13 Wednesday
2024 September 13 Friday
2025 September 13 Saturday
2026 September 13 Sunday
2027 September 13 Monday