A classic Catalan saying once claimed, “De Joans, Joseps i ases n’hi ha a totes les cases,” suggesting every home had its share of donkeys, Joans, and Joseps. For decades, this held true; names like Josep and Joan were staples of Catalan identity. However, a dramatic shift in recent naming trends means this adage no longer reflects reality, as these once-dominant names have all but vanished from birth registries.

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The decline of Josep, the Catalan equivalent of Joseph, has been particularly sharp. Its use plummeted after a surge in popularity during the 1950s and 60s, when over 15,000 newborns received the name. According to data from the Catalan Institute of Statistics (Idescat), only 652 babies were named Josep between 2010 and 2019. The trend accelerated from 2020 to 2023, with the number falling to just 109.

Demographics reflect this generational shift. The average age of a person named Josep in Catalonia is now 55.7 years, firmly placing it in the realm of fathers and grandfathers.

The ‘José’ Conundrum

The story is complicated by historical context. For much of the 20th century, particularly during the Franco dictatorship, Catalan names were suppressed. Many families were forced to register their children with the Castilian equivalent, José. This has created a statistical anomaly that continues to influence Catalonia’s demographic data.

According to 2024 figures from Idescat, José is the third most common male name in Catalonia, with 79,430 residents, trailing only Antonio and Maria/María. In stark contrast, Josep ranks 25th, with 35,314 individuals. Francesc Calafell, a researcher at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-UPF), explained the situation to Catalan newspaper Ara.

“In the era when most Joseps were born, they had to be registered as José. The Joseps we see are those who later Catalanised their name,” Calafell stated. “How many of the 79,000 Josés in Catalonia would be Josep? We don’t know. But if we consider both, perhaps they weren’t in every house, but in one out of ten, and that is a lot.”

Geographically, the name Josep is most concentrated in the rural comarcas of northern and western Catalonia, areas historically driven by agriculture. The comarca of Lluçanès has the highest density, with 65.35 Joseps per 1,000 inhabitants, followed by Solsonès (40.83) and Pallars Sobirà (38.29). “It’s a name more of inland Catalonia, of the Pyrenees,” Calafell noted, adding that it is also found in the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands.

From Grandfather to Grandson: The Rise of ‘Pep’

While the formal name Josep wanes, its diminutive, Pep, experiences a modest revival. Practically unheard of as a registered name before the year 2000, it has gained traction among new parents favouring shorter, single-syllable names. Between 2010 and 2019, 434 newborns were named Pep. More recently, from 2020 to 2023, 144 boys were given the name, officially surpassing the 109 Joseps born in the same period.

The average age of someone named Pep is just 15.3 years, highlighting its contemporary appeal. “We have a small revival of Pep,” said Calafell. “It’s a more current name; it’s no longer Josep, which is the grandfather’s name.”

This pattern is not unique to Josep. The decline echoes a similar fate for other historically significant Catalan names, such as the once-revered name of Barcelona’s patron saint, Mercè.

Why Traditional Names Fall Out of Favour

According to Calafell, the decline is part of a natural cycle in naming trends, driven by a desire for individuality. “The more frequent a name, the more it is perceived as too common, and its use declines,” he explained.

“Parents choose a name to individualise, and Josep is perhaps associated with a common name. And the fact that it’s associated with people of a certain age doesn’t make it particularly popular.”

This cultural shift reflects a broader evolution in Catalan society; traditions, from naming conventions to daily language use, are continually reshaped. Studies have shown, for example, that young people in Barcelona increasingly use Spanish over Catalan in their leisure time. As names like Josep become synonymous with a bygone era, the identity of a new generation is being written with different names on their birth certificates.