Josse

Josse is a male given name of Dutch and French origin that also appears as a surname on rare occasions. It is most commonly found in Belgium and the Netherlands and in Francophone regions. The name is historically derived from Saint Judoc, a 7th-century Breton prince who became a monk. In Latin texts the saint’s name is rendered Iodocus; in medieval French and Dutch records the form Josse developed as the vernacular form. The spread of Saint Judoc’s cult in medieval Brittany and the Low Countries contributed to the name’s popularity and to related place-names in francophone areas.

Usage and distribution: In modern times, Josse remains most common as a given name in Belgium (especially within both Flemish and Francophone communities). It is far less common as a surname, where it typically indicates ancestral linkage to a given name.

Notable people: The most prominent historical figure associated with this name is Saint Judoc (Saint Josse), a 7th-century saint venerated in Brittany and Belgium. In medieval records, several clerics and nobles from the Low Countries bore the name Josse, though many such references are scattered across charters and hagiographies.

Toponyms: The name survives in toponyms such as Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (Sint-Joost-ten-Node), a municipality in Brussels, and in other French- or Dutch-speaking places that derive their names from the saint’s name.

Variants: Jodocus and Judoc are historical Latin and vernacular forms; Josse is the common contemporary form in Dutch- and French-speaking areas.