Jo

• enPR: jō
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒəʊ/
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒoʊ/
• Homophones: Joe, joe, Zhou
• Rhymes: -əʊ

Clipping or hypochoristic form of various female given names beginning with Jo..., primarily Joan, Joanna, etc. but also Josephine and Jolene.

Doublet of Ivanka, Jan, Janelle, Janet, Janey, Janine, Jeanette, Jeanie, Jeannette, Jeannine, Jen, Jenna, Jenny, Jessie, Jody, Juanita, Shanae, Sinead, and Vanna in reference to the first derivation.

Jo

1. A female given name.
   • 1888, Marietta Holley, Josiah Allen's Wife as a P.A. and P.I.: Samantha at the Centennial, page 577:

     "Its name is Samantha Jo, after Josiah and me. You know they call girls Jo and Josie a sight lately; its name is agreeable to Josiah and me, very.

Primarily used as a nickname but also occasionally used as a formal given name, especially in conjoined names such as Jo Ann and Mary Jo.

• Joe

• Jolene, Jody; see also Joanne

Variant of Joe, diminutive form of Joseph, Josiah, etc.

Jo

1. (rare) Alternative form of Joe.
   • 1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, “Chapter XI”, in Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC:

     Name, Jo. Nothing else that he knows on. Don't know that everybody has two names. Never heerd of sich a think. Don't know that Jo is short for a longer name. Thinks it long enough for him. He don't find no fault with it. Spell it? No. He can't spell it.

• Jo Daviess County; see also Jody

• OJ

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -oː

Jo f

1. a female given name, a pet name diminutive of Johanna or Josefien

• IPA^(key): /ʒo/

Jo m or f

1. a unisex given name, a pet name diminutive of Joanne, Joanna, Josée, José, Joseph, etc.

Jo m

1. (biblical, rare) Abbreviation of Johannes (Gospel of John): Joh.

From jo (“yes”).

• IPA^(key): /jo/, [joː]
  • Rhymes: -oː

Jo m (uncountable)

1. a yes

• Neen

Short form of names with the element jo (such as Jostein and Jorid), from jór (“horse”).

Jo m (definite Joen)

1. a male given name

Jo f (definite Joa)

1. a female given name

1. a male given name, variant of Jon, equivalent to English John
2. (rare) a female given name, short for Josefine, Johanne etc.