Jo

See also: Appendix:Variations of "jo"

English

Pronunciation

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

Etymology 1

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.

Proper noun

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.

Usage notes

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.

Alternative forms

• Joe

Derived terms

• Jolene, Jody; see also Joanne

Etymology 2

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

Proper noun

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.

Derived terms

• Jo Daviess County; see also Jody

Anagrams

• OJ

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -oː

Proper noun

Jo f

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

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʒo/

Proper noun

Jo m or f

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

German

Proper noun

Jo m

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

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From jo (“yes”).

Pronunciation

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

Noun

Jo m (uncountable)

1. a yes

Antonyms

• Neen

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

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

Proper noun

Jo m (definite Joen)

1. a male given name

Proper noun

Jo f (definite Joa)

1. a female given name

Etymology 2

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