Basque2 syllablesBiblical
Meaning: Yahweh is salvation — the Basque Jesus.
Josu
| Origin | Basque — the Basque form of Jesús, proposed in the Basque saints' name-list of 1910 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Yahweh is salvation, from Hebrew Yehoshua by way of the contracted Yeshua |
| Pronunciation | YOH-soo — two syllables, the j sounded as a y, even stress |
| Popularity | Outside the current U.S. top 100 and unused in America; an everyday name in the Basque Country |
| Variants | Jesús in Spanish, Joshua in English — the same Hebrew name by a different road |
| Nicknames | Josuka, Josutxo; Josu is itself short |
| Compound use | Josu Jon is a standard Basque double name, as Jon Ander and Jon Mikel are |
History & meaning
Josu needs the awkward part first: it is the Basque form of Jesús, and in Spain and Latin America Jesús is an ordinary man's name. English-speaking Christians find that startling and Spanish-speaking ones do not. The name itself is Hebrew and older than the Gospels — Yeshua, a late contracted form of Yehoshua, "Yahweh is salvation", which is the same name English spells Joshua. Greek wrote it Iēsous and Latin Iesus, so Jesus and Joshua are one word arriving by two roads, and Josu sits on both.
The Basque form was proposed by Sabino Arana in his 1910 calendar of Basque saints' names and is now the normal way a Basque speaker gives the name to a son. It is shorter and blunter than the Spanish, and because it does not look like the sacred name in print it travels more comfortably. Say it with the Basque j — a y across most of the country — and keep the stress even. Josu also works as the first half of a compound: Josu Jon is a standard Basque double name, and one of the best-known businessmen in Spain carries it.
Why parents choose it
Two syllables, no consonant clusters, and a meaning that is a promise rather than a description. For families outside Spain it offers a way to use the name of Jesus that does not read as provocation.
Middle names for Josu
The open vowel at the end invites a consonant: Josu Mikel, Josu Ander, Josu Bittor, Josu Gabriel. The middle names guide sets out the general method.
Famous Josus
Josu Jon Imaz led the Basque Nationalist Party and went on to run Repsol, Spain's largest energy company. Josu Urrutia played more than three hundred games for Athletic Club and then spent seven years as its president. Josu de Solaun is a concert pianist and a winner of the George Enescu Competition.
Consider instead
Joshua is the identical Hebrew name with none of the awkwardness. Gaizka says salvation in Basque rather than Hebrew. Imanol is the other Basque name that puts a title of Christ on a child. See Basque names.