boy's name
Youssef
YOO-sef
- Origin Arabic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 7
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 29,920
France
#103
2025 births
Youssef is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "God will increase," the Arabic form of Joseph. It ranks 103rd in France and appears across Scotland and Ireland, and it names a prophet in Islam and a patriarch in Judaism and Christianity alike.
- Youssef is a name of Arabic origin.
- Peaked in France in 2015, when 1,000 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 1,016 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1946.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Youssef over time
Births per decade in France, 1940s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 145 |
| 1960s | 475 |
| 1970s | 1,370 |
| 1980s | 2,825 |
| 1990s | 2,805 |
| 2000s | 3,440 |
| 2010s | 7,790 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,850 |
What Youssef means
Youssef means God will increase, or God will add. It carries the meaning of Joseph, from the Hebrew Yosef, which the Genesis account explains as Rachel's hope for another son after her first.
Where Youssef comes from
Youssef transliterates the Arabic Yusuf, from the Hebrew Yosef, God will add. Joseph is the son of Jacob and Rachel, sold into Egypt by his brothers and rising to govern it; his story occupies the closing chapters of Genesis and the whole of the twelfth surah of the Quran, which calls it the most beautiful of stories. He is one of the few figures narrated at length and consecutively in both scriptures. The name is common across the Arab world and, as Joseph, throughout Europe. The double s and the ou in the French spelling reflect French orthography rather than a different Arabic form.
Youssef in use
Youssef ranks 103rd in France with about 580 births in 2025 and appears in Scotland and Ireland at around 611 in each. Its peak in our records is 2017. Our data carries it from 1974. Its distribution across three of our markets at similar ranks is unusual for an Arabic name and reflects how widely the underlying name is shared rather than any single migration pattern.
How popular is Youssef?
In 2025, Youssef was given to 580 babies in France, ranking #103 that year. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Youssef is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Youssef
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Youssef also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Youssef over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Youssef 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 Youssef
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Youssef — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Youssef
What does the name Youssef mean?
Youssef means "God will increase," from the Hebrew Yosef.
Is Youssef the same as Joseph?
Yes. Youssef is the Arabic form; Joseph is the Hebrew and European one.
Is Yusuf in the Quran?
The whole twelfth surah is devoted to his story, which it calls the most beautiful of stories.
How popular is Youssef?
103rd in France, with similar rankings in Scotland and Ireland.
Is Youssef a girl's or a boy's name?
Youssef is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Youssef?
Youssef has 2 syllables.
Is Youssef a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Youssef currently ranks #103 in France. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.