Joe Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JOE //dʒoʊ//
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: God is gracious; English: diminutive of Joseph
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Joe is derived from the Hebrew name Yosef, meaning "He will add" or "God will increase." This name was transliterated into Greek as Ioseph and later into Latin as Josephus. The name entered the English language through Old French as Joseph, eventually leading to the diminutive form Joe.
This evolution reflects the linguistic transitions that occurred as Hebrew texts were translated into Greek and Latin, particularly during the early centuries of the Common Era. Historically, the name Joseph is significant in various religious texts.
In the Hebrew Bible, Joseph is a prominent figure, known as the favored son of Jacob and Rachel, who was sold into slavery by his brothers and later rose to power in Egypt. This narrative is foundational in Jewish tradition and has been influential in Christian contexts as well, where Joseph is recognized as the earthly father of Jesus Christ.
The name gained further prominence in the Christian tradition through figures such as Saint Joseph, who is venerated in both Catholic and Orthodox churches, particularly from the early centuries of Christianity. Culturally, the name Joe has been associated with notions of humility and commonality, often serving as a familiar and approachable form of Joseph.
It has been used in various expressions and idioms, such as "average Joe," which symbolizes the everyman. This accessibility has contributed to its endurance across generations.
The name Joe also has historical resonance in American culture, notably through figures such as Joe Louis, the heavyweight boxing champion of the 20th century, and Joe DiMaggio, the legendary baseball player, both of whom have left a lasting impact on American sports and culture.
Famous people named Joe
In this section, you will find notable people named Joe. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Joe who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Joe who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Joe Biden is a politician best known for serving as the 46th President of the United States, Vice President of the United States, and a U.S. Senator from Delaware.
Joe Montana is a former professional American football quarterback best known for his time with the San Francisco 49ers, winning four Super Bowls, and being a two-time Super Bowl MVP.
Joe DiMaggio is a former professional baseball player best known for his career with the New York Yankees, three-time MVP awards, and his 56-game hitting streak.
Joe Cocker is a singer best known for his covers of With a Little Help from My Friends, You Are So Beautiful, and Up Where We Belong.
Joe Pesci is an actor best known for his roles in Goodfellas, Casino, and Home Alone.
Joe Jonas is a musician best known as a member of the pop band Jonas Brothers and for his work on Camp Rock.
Joe Wright is a film director best known for directing Atonement, Pride & Prejudice, and Darkest Hour.
Joe Namath is a former professional American football quarterback best known for leading the New York Jets to victory in Super Bowl III and his charismatic personality.
Joe Flacco is a professional American football quarterback best known for leading the Baltimore Ravens to victory in Super Bowl XLVII and being named Super Bowl MVP.
Fictional characters named Joe
The following list of fictional characters named Joe is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Joe Gargery is a fictional character from the novel Great Expectations. He is the kind-hearted blacksmith and husband of Mrs. Joe, who plays a significant role in the protagonist's early life.
Joe Fox is a fictional character from the film You've Got Mail. He is the owner of a large bookstore chain who unknowingly competes with a small independent bookstore owned by his online pen pal.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Joe, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Joe. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Joe was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Joe has ranked as high as #43 nationally, which occurred in 1936, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi.
In the past 5 years the name Joe has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Joe is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Joe was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Joe.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 230 | 230 | 0 |
| 2024 | 272 | 272 | 0 |
| 2023 | 256 | 256 | 0 |
| 2022 | 262 | 262 | 0 |
| 2021 | 310 | 310 | 0 |
| 2020 | 337 | 337 | 0 |
| 2019 | 350 | 350 | 0 |
| 2018 | 347 | 347 | 0 |
| 2017 | 365 | 365 | 0 |
| 2016 | 434 | 434 | 0 |
| 2015 | 460 | 460 | 0 |
| 2014 | 490 | 490 | 0 |
| 2013 | 476 | 476 | 0 |
| 2012 | 499 | 499 | 0 |
| 2011 | 536 | 536 | 0 |
| 2010 | 592 | 592 | 0 |
| 2009 | 607 | 607 | 0 |
| 2008 | 725 | 725 | 0 |
| 2007 | 737 | 732 | 5 |
| 2006 | 816 | 816 | 0 |
| 2005 | 800 | 800 | 0 |
| 2004 | 826 | 826 | 0 |
| 2003 | 899 | 899 | 0 |
| 2002 | 922 | 922 | 0 |
| 2001 | 971 | 965 | 6 |
| 2000 | 920 | 920 | 0 |
| 1999 | 972 | 972 | 0 |
| 1998 | 1,016 | 1,011 | 5 |
| 1997 | 1,019 | 1,013 | 6 |
| 1996 | 1,069 | 1,058 | 11 |
| 1995 | 1,088 | 1,078 | 10 |
| 1994 | 1,209 | 1,203 | 6 |
| 1993 | 1,262 | 1,255 | 7 |
| 1992 | 1,403 | 1,393 | 10 |
| 1991 | 1,474 | 1,464 | 10 |
| 1990 | 1,471 | 1,460 | 11 |
| 1989 | 1,511 | 1,494 | 17 |
| 1988 | 1,492 | 1,472 | 20 |
| 1987 | 1,508 | 1,488 | 20 |
| 1986 | 1,558 | 1,535 | 23 |
| 1985 | 1,615 | 1,591 | 24 |
| 1984 | 1,614 | 1,592 | 22 |
| 1983 | 1,634 | 1,614 | 20 |
| 1982 | 1,891 | 1,872 | 19 |
| 1981 | 1,894 | 1,860 | 34 |
| 1980 | 2,010 | 1,990 | 20 |
| 1979 | 1,993 | 1,965 | 28 |
| 1978 | 2,078 | 2,039 | 39 |
| 1977 | 2,167 | 2,124 | 43 |
| 1976 | 2,204 | 2,170 | 34 |
| 1975 | 2,278 | 2,239 | 39 |
| 1974 | 2,394 | 2,346 | 48 |
| 1973 | 2,567 | 2,522 | 45 |
| 1972 | 2,879 | 2,825 | 54 |
| 1971 | 3,205 | 3,149 | 56 |
| 1970 | 3,638 | 3,570 | 68 |
| 1969 | 3,686 | 3,617 | 69 |
| 1968 | 3,602 | 3,522 | 80 |
| 1967 | 3,779 | 3,717 | 62 |
| 1966 | 4,426 | 4,334 | 92 |
| 1965 | 4,910 | 4,833 | 77 |
| 1964 | 5,911 | 5,821 | 90 |
| 1963 | 6,473 | 6,379 | 94 |
| 1962 | 6,895 | 6,793 | 102 |
| 1961 | 7,165 | 7,056 | 109 |
| 1960 | 7,444 | 7,314 | 130 |
| 1959 | 7,543 | 7,389 | 154 |
| 1958 | 7,224 | 7,065 | 159 |
| 1957 | 6,939 | 6,767 | 172 |
| 1956 | 6,320 | 6,124 | 196 |
| 1955 | 6,039 | 5,856 | 183 |
| 1954 | 6,088 | 5,873 | 215 |
| 1953 | 5,988 | 5,797 | 191 |
| 1952 | 6,066 | 5,892 | 174 |
| 1951 | 6,020 | 5,824 | 196 |
| 1950 | 6,237 | 6,033 | 204 |
| 1949 | 6,752 | 6,535 | 217 |
| 1948 | 7,491 | 7,288 | 203 |
| 1947 | 8,131 | 7,904 | 227 |
| 1946 | 7,756 | 7,536 | 220 |
| 1945 | 6,819 | 6,625 | 194 |
| 1944 | 7,263 | 7,062 | 201 |
| 1943 | 7,538 | 7,308 | 230 |
| 1942 | 7,619 | 7,383 | 236 |
| 1941 | 7,384 | 7,158 | 226 |
| 1940 | 7,433 | 7,216 | 217 |
| 1939 | 7,438 | 7,189 | 249 |
| 1938 | 7,677 | 7,438 | 239 |
| 1937 | 7,971 | 7,745 | 226 |
| 1936 | 8,266 | 8,023 | 243 |
| 1935 | 7,779 | 7,555 | 224 |
| 1934 | 7,355 | 7,090 | 265 |
| 1933 | 6,661 | 6,411 | 250 |
| 1932 | 6,934 | 6,690 | 244 |
| 1931 | 6,684 | 6,456 | 228 |
| 1930 | 7,122 | 6,873 | 249 |
| 1929 | 6,814 | 6,596 | 218 |
| 1928 | 6,894 | 6,682 | 212 |
| 1927 | 6,773 | 6,542 | 231 |
| 1926 | 6,550 | 6,338 | 212 |
| 1925 | 6,265 | 6,107 | 158 |
| 1924 | 6,195 | 6,044 | 151 |
| 1923 | 6,146 | 6,003 | 143 |
| 1922 | 6,238 | 6,089 | 149 |
| 1921 | 6,341 | 6,204 | 137 |
| 1920 | 6,205 | 6,071 | 134 |
| 1919 | 5,839 | 5,709 | 130 |
| 1918 | 5,919 | 5,805 | 114 |
| 1917 | 5,239 | 5,142 | 97 |
| 1916 | 5,012 | 4,911 | 101 |
| 1915 | 4,762 | 4,648 | 114 |
| 1914 | 3,789 | 3,712 | 77 |
| 1913 | 2,868 | 2,806 | 62 |
| 1912 | 2,580 | 2,515 | 65 |
| 1911 | 1,494 | 1,449 | 45 |
| 1910 | 1,595 | 1,553 | 42 |
| 1909 | 1,335 | 1,292 | 43 |
| 1908 | 1,241 | 1,209 | 32 |
| 1907 | 1,207 | 1,177 | 30 |
| 1906 | 1,062 | 1,020 | 42 |
| 1905 | 1,052 | 1,024 | 28 |
| 1904 | 976 | 959 | 17 |
| 1903 | 920 | 895 | 25 |
| 1902 | 985 | 955 | 30 |
| 1901 | 769 | 756 | 13 |
| 1900 | 1,212 | 1,179 | 33 |
| 1899 | 798 | 780 | 18 |
| 1898 | 847 | 827 | 20 |
| 1897 | 822 | 798 | 24 |
| 1896 | 779 | 767 | 12 |
| 1895 | 790 | 763 | 27 |
| 1894 | 764 | 741 | 23 |
| 1893 | 745 | 721 | 24 |
| 1892 | 830 | 819 | 11 |
| 1891 | 605 | 584 | 21 |
| 1890 | 702 | 682 | 20 |
| 1889 | 727 | 709 | 18 |
| 1888 | 813 | 789 | 24 |
| 1887 | 695 | 685 | 10 |
| 1886 | 774 | 759 | 15 |
| 1885 | 693 | 681 | 12 |
| 1884 | 771 | 759 | 12 |
| 1883 | 623 | 607 | 16 |
| 1882 | 754 | 739 | 15 |
| 1881 | 649 | 639 | 10 |
| 1880 | 736 | 731 | 5 |
Top States for Joe (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 71 | |
| CA | 32 | |
| NY | 15 | |
| GA | 11 | |
| FL | 10 | |
| TN | 8 | |
| NJ | 8 | |
| OH | 7 | |
| IL | 7 | |
| NC | 7 | |
| AZ | 6 | |
| OK | 6 | |
| WI | 6 | |
| IN | 5 | |
| MS | 5 | |
| CO | 5 | |
| AL | 5 |