Josip

Josip is a masculine given name used in several South Slavic languages. It is the local form of Joseph, which derives from the Hebrew Yosef and is commonly interpreted as meaning “God will increase.” In Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Slovenia, Josip is a traditional and widely used name, with pronunciation and spelling reflecting local phonology.

The name is typically pronounced roughly as YO-sip, with the emphasis on the first syllable. It is often associated with Christian contexts due to Saint Joseph, contributing to its continued use in predominantly Catholic or historically Christian regions of the Balkans.

Notable bearers of the name include Josip Broz Tito, the long-time leader of Yugoslavia, who remains the most widely recognized historical figure with this given name. Beyond Tito, the name is borne by numerous individuals in fields such as sports, academia, and the arts across South Slavic communities.

Variants and related forms appear in other languages. The English equivalent is Joseph; Polish uses Józef, and other languages employ their own forms of the same root. The surname Josipović, for example, is derived from Josip and means “son of Josip,” illustrating how the given name has also contributed to patronymic forms in the region.