boy's name
Joseph
JOH-zif
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 3,221,193
the United States
#29
2025 births
Joseph is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add," from Yosef. In Genesis he is the son sold into slavery in Egypt who rises to govern it, and in the New Testament the name belongs to the husband of Mary.
- Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1956, when 32,832 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 453 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Joseph over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 26,404 |
| 1890s | 29,187 |
| 1900s | 35,346 |
| 1910s | 179,927 |
| 1920s | 245,187 |
| 1930s | 181,452 |
| 1940s | 230,953 |
| 1950s | 300,765 |
| 1960s | 284,271 |
| 1970s | 246,336 |
| 1980s | 301,405 |
| 1990s | 261,388 |
| 2000s | 195,325 |
| 2010s | 115,878 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 46,389 |
What Joseph means
Joseph means "he will add" or "God shall add," from the Hebrew root yasaf, to increase. Genesis gives it a double explanation, connecting it both to God taking away Rachel's reproach and to her prayer that another son be added.
Where Joseph comes from
Joseph comes from the Hebrew Yosef, from yasaf, meaning to add or increase. Genesis 30:24 records Rachel naming him with the words "may the Lord add to me another son," and the preceding verse offers a second wordplay on a root meaning to take away — biblical names often carry more than one explanation in the text itself. The Genesis narrative of Joseph, sold by his brothers and rising to become Pharaoh's administrator, is among the longest sustained stories in the Hebrew Bible. The name gained further weight in Christianity through Joseph the carpenter, husband of Mary, and it passed through Greek Ioseph and Latin Iosephus into every European language.
How popular is Joseph?
In 2025, Joseph was given to 7,315 babies in the United States, ranking #29 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Joseph is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Joseph
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Joseph also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Joseph over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
5 nicknames for Joseph
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Joseph in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Joseph
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Joseph — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Joseph
What does the name Joseph mean?
Joseph means "he will add," from the Hebrew Yosef.
Is Joseph a biblical name?
Yes — both the son of Jacob in Genesis and the husband of Mary in the New Testament.
What are nicknames for Joseph?
Joe and Joey are the most common short forms.
How popular is the name Joseph?
In 2025, Joseph was given to 7,315 babies in the United States, ranking #29 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Joseph a girl's or a boy's name?
Joseph is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Joseph?
Joseph has 2 syllables.
When was Joseph most popular?
Joseph peaked in 1956, when 32,832 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Joseph a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Joseph currently ranks #29 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.