Updated May 24, 2023

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Boy name origins & meanings

  • Hebrew: He shall add

What does Joseph mean and stand for?

Joseph is derived from the Latin form of Greek Ioseph, from the Hebrew name Yosef meaning "He will add" from the root Yasaf. In the Old Testament Bible, Joseph was the 11th son of Jacob, the traditional ancestor of the people of Israel. Joseph was an esteemed advisor to the pharaoh from 1894-1878 BCE.

Syllables: 2

Discover more baby name meanings to learn what's behind every name.

Boy name variations

Josef

Josef

- 20% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jozef

Jozef

+ 22% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Yoseph

Yoseph

+ 88% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Yosayf

Yosayf

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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José

José

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Joe

Joe

- 16% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jo

Jo

- 14% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Joey

Joey

- 3% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Josie

Josie

+ 9% this year
Neutral
Common
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Josiah

Josiah

- 6% this year
Neutral
Common
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Josias

Josias

+ 15% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jessup

Jessup

+ 60% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Giuseppe

Giuseppe

- 6% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Isoep

Isoep

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Iosef

Iosef

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Seosaidh

Seosaidh

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Osip

Osip

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Pepe

Pepe

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Pepito

Pepito

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jazeps

Jazeps

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jooseppi

Jooseppi

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Joseba

Joseba

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Josep

Josep

- 14% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Josephat

Josephat

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Josephe

Josephe

0 % this year
Neutral
Rare
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Josephie

Josephie

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Josephus

Josephus

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Josheph

Josheph

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Josip

Josip

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jóska

Jóska

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Joza

Joza

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Joze

Joze

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jozeph

Jozeph

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jozhe

Jozhe

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jozio

Jozio

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jozka

Jozka

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jozsi

Jozsi

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jozzepi

Jozzepi

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jupp

Jupp

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jusepe

Jusepe

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Juziu

Juziu

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Beppe

Beppe

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Bepe

Bepe

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Beppy

Beppy

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Cheche

Cheche

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Iokepa

Iokepa

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Keo

Keo

+ 8% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Pepa

Pepa

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Peppe

Peppe

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Pino

Pino

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Sepp

Sepp

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Yeska

Yeska

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Yosef

Yosef

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Yousef

Yousef

- 1% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Youssel

Youssel

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Yusef

Yusef

+ 25% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Yusif

Yusif

- 31% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Zeusef

Zeusef

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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How Popular Is The Name Joseph

Family name origins & meanings

  • English, German, French, and Jewish: from the personal name, Hebrew Yosef ‘may He (God) add (another son)’. In medieval Europe this name was borne frequently but not exclusively by Jews; the usual medieval English vernacular form is represented by Jessup. In the Book of Genesis, Joseph is the favorite son of Jacob, who is sold into slavery by his brothers but rises to become a leading minister in Egypt (Genesis 37–50). In the New Testament Joseph is the husband of the Virgin Mary, which accounts for the popularity of the given name among Christians.

A bearer of the name Joseph with the secondary surname Langoumois (and therefore presumably from the Angoumois region of France) is documented in Quebec City in 1718.

Popularity of the Name Joseph

According to Social Security Administration data, Joseph was one of the most popular boy names in the early 2000s but has been in decline since then. Despite the decline, Joseph has maintained a spot in the top 30 since 2000.

It is the 61st most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years, Joseph was at its peak popularity for boy names from October 6t-12th, 2019.

Joseph is one of the most popular Biblical names to date. In the Old Testament, Joseph is the favorite son of Jacob and Rachel. In the New Testament, it is the name of the Virgin Mary's husband. Although its popularity has declined considerably within the past 20 years, it is still one of the most popular boy names. Its popularity may be due in part to celebs like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Joseph Morgan, and Joe Biden.

Where is the name Joseph popular?

Joseph was searched for most often in the following states:

Nicknames for Joseph

  • Giuseppe
  • Joe
  • Joey

Joseph pairs well with these middle names:

meaning of Samuel name