Joseph Boy

Popularity: #29 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JOE-sef //ˈdʒoʊsəf//

Origin: Hebrew; Latin; Greek

Meaning: Hebrew: He will add; Latin: Iosephus; Greek: Iōsēph

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Joseph has its roots in the Hebrew name יוֹסֵף (Yosef), which means "He will add" or "God will increase." This name appears in the Hebrew Bible, where Joseph is a significant figure, known as the favored son of Jacob and Rachel. His story, which includes being sold into slavery by his brothers and later rising to power in Egypt, is a central narrative in the Book of Genesis, dating back to the 1st millennium BCE.

The name was later adopted into Greek as Ἰωσήφ (Ioseph) and subsequently into Latin as Iosephus, which laid the groundwork for its entry into various European languages, including Old French as Josse and Middle English as Joseph. Throughout history, the name Joseph has been borne by numerous notable figures, including saints and biblical scholars.

One of the most prominent is Saint Joseph, the husband of Mary, mother of Jesus, who is venerated in Christianity. His significance is underscored in the New Testament, particularly in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which were composed in the 1st century CE.

The name gained further prominence through various translations of the Bible, including the Latin Vulgate and the King James Bible in the early 17th century, which helped to disseminate the name widely across Christian cultures. Culturally, Joseph has been associated with themes of resilience, forgiveness, and divine providence, largely due to the biblical narratives surrounding his life.

The name has also inspired various artistic and literary works, including plays, novels, and operas, which reflect its enduring significance. In addition, diminutive forms such as Joe or Joey have emerged in various cultures, contributing to the name's adaptability and continued relevance in different contexts.

Overall, Joseph remains a name rich in historical and cultural significance, reflecting a legacy that spans millennia.

Famous people named Joseph

In this section, you will find notable people named Joseph. 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 Joseph who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Joseph 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.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an actor and filmmaker best known for Inception, 500 Days of Summer, and The Dark Knight Rises.

Joseph Campbell is a writer and mythologist best known for The Hero with a Thousand Faces, The Power of Myth, and A Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Joseph Haydn is a composer best known for The Creation, The Seasons, and his symphonies.

Joseph Conrad is a novelist best known for Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, and Nostromo.

Joseph Fiennes is an actor best known for Shakespeare in Love, The Handmaid's Tale, and Elizabeth.

Joseph Lister is a surgeon best known for pioneering antiseptic surgery and promoting the use of sterilization in medical procedures.

Joseph Pulitzer is a journalist and newspaper publisher best known for establishing the Pulitzer Prizes and his influence on American journalism.

Joseph Stiglitz is an economist best known for his work on information asymmetry and for winning the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.

Joseph Smith is a religious leader best known for founding the Latter Day Saint movement and translating the Book of Mormon.

Fictional characters named Joseph

The following list of fictional characters named Joseph 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.

Joseph Joestar is a fictional character from the manga and anime series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He is one of the main protagonists known for his clever tactics and strong will in battling supernatural foes.

Joseph Morgan is a fictional character from the TV series The Originals. He is a powerful vampire and the original hybrid, known for his complex relationships and leadership in the supernatural community.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Joseph, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

JamesJohnMichaelDavidDanielMatthewAndrew

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Joseph. 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.

JoshuaJaredJonahJacobJesseJordanJulianJasper

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Joseph was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Joseph has ranked as high as #19 nationally, which occurred in 1956, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, California, New Jersey, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Joseph has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Joseph 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 Joseph 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 Joseph.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 7,315 7,303 12
2024 7,266 7,261 5
2023 7,291 7,279 12
2022 7,848 7,839 9
2021 8,174 8,166 8
2020 8,495 8,486 9
2019 9,195 9,179 16
2018 9,697 9,682 15
2017 10,507 10,488 19
2016 10,982 10,969 13
2015 11,543 11,531 12
2014 12,161 12,155 6
2013 12,298 12,278 20
2012 12,610 12,594 16
2011 13,018 12,995 23
2010 13,867 13,851 16
2009 14,972 14,952 20
2008 16,629 16,599 30
2007 17,392 17,364 28
2006 18,500 18,471 29
2005 19,277 19,241 36
2004 20,250 20,147 103
2003 21,425 21,394 31
2002 21,955 21,920 35
2001 22,057 22,030 27
2000 22,868 22,844 24
1999 23,264 23,220 44
1998 23,236 23,186 50
1997 23,649 23,604 45
1996 24,810 24,758 52
1995 25,416 25,354 62
1994 25,811 25,734 77
1993 27,081 27,014 67
1992 27,972 27,904 68
1991 29,928 29,840 88
1990 30,221 30,137 84
1989 30,023 29,884 139
1988 29,201 29,019 182
1987 28,733 28,516 217
1986 29,042 28,834 208
1985 30,449 30,222 227
1984 30,724 30,513 211
1983 30,653 30,442 211
1982 31,231 31,035 196
1981 30,947 30,761 186
1980 30,402 30,185 217
1979 28,863 28,654 209
1978 26,843 26,663 180
1977 26,659 26,483 176
1976 24,197 24,055 142
1975 22,257 22,125 132
1974 21,958 21,834 124
1973 21,460 21,326 134
1972 22,582 22,454 128
1971 24,665 24,517 148
1970 26,852 26,714 138
1969 26,327 26,173 154
1968 25,530 25,396 134
1967 26,048 25,926 122
1966 27,081 26,981 100
1965 28,750 28,630 120
1964 30,695 30,576 119
1963 30,214 30,077 137
1962 30,195 30,090 105
1961 29,562 29,450 112
1960 29,869 29,749 120
1959 29,631 29,539 92
1958 30,195 30,115 80
1957 31,944 31,851 93
1956 32,832 32,749 83
1955 31,673 31,589 84
1954 31,297 31,221 76
1953 29,330 29,269 61
1952 28,578 28,510 68
1951 28,199 28,147 52
1950 27,086 27,022 64
1949 26,464 26,408 56
1948 26,870 26,801 69
1947 27,588 27,520 68
1946 24,345 24,284 61
1945 20,881 20,823 58
1944 21,258 21,176 82
1943 22,893 22,828 65
1942 22,508 22,429 79
1941 19,874 19,808 66
1940 18,272 18,208 64
1939 17,782 17,722 60
1938 17,817 17,742 75
1937 17,383 17,322 61
1936 17,523 17,453 70
1935 17,257 17,181 76
1934 17,198 17,111 87
1933 17,262 17,162 100
1932 18,670 18,566 104
1931 19,438 19,326 112
1930 21,122 20,981 141
1929 21,324 21,165 159
1928 22,504 22,322 182
1927 23,670 23,503 167
1926 23,917 23,756 161
1925 24,745 24,613 132
1924 25,556 25,421 135
1923 25,667 25,561 106
1922 25,803 25,699 104
1921 26,302 26,182 120
1920 25,699 25,587 112
1919 24,355 24,266 89
1918 26,351 26,261 90
1917 24,855 24,761 94
1916 23,960 23,883 77
1915 23,120 23,051 69
1914 18,898 18,829 69
1913 14,509 14,471 38
1912 12,106 12,062 44
1911 6,516 6,488 28
1910 5,257 5,228 29
1909 4,378 4,348 30
1908 4,183 4,162 21
1907 3,856 3,844 12
1906 3,548 3,527 21
1905 3,324 3,302 22
1904 3,309 3,291 18
1903 3,134 3,121 13
1902 3,106 3,098 8
1901 2,780 2,766 14
1900 3,728 3,714 14
1899 2,698 2,679 19
1898 3,194 3,171 23
1897 2,847 2,827 20
1896 3,075 3,051 24
1895 3,015 2,992 23
1894 2,994 2,977 17
1893 3,023 2,997 26
1892 3,077 3,064 13
1891 2,583 2,572 11
1890 2,681 2,670 11
1889 2,736 2,729 7
1888 3,011 2,993 18
1887 2,469 2,456 13
1886 2,602 2,594 8
1885 2,554 2,540 14
1884 2,716 2,707 9
1883 2,532 2,515 17
1882 2,676 2,670 6
1881 2,466 2,456 10
1880 2,642 2,632 10

Top States for Joseph (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
CA 745
10%
TX 691
10%
NY 683
9%
FL 399
6%
NJ 348
5%
PA 333
5%
OH 262
4%
IL 251
3%
NC 215
3%
GA 212
3%
MA 198
3%
VA 187
3%
MI 172
2%
TN 160
2%
IN 156
2%
WA 145
2%
AZ 134
2%
CT 129
2%
MO 125
2%
CO 123
2%
AL 120
2%
LA 118
2%
MD 113
2%
KY 109
2%
WI 97
1%
SC 90
1%
MN 84
1%
KS 77
1%
OR 68
1%
OK 61
1%
UT 58
1%
IA 54
1%
AR 48
1%
NV 45
1%
MS 43
1%
NE 41
1%
WV 36
0%
NH 34
0%
ID 33
0%
RI 32
0%
NM 28
0%
ND 27
0%
MT 25
0%
DC 19
0%
ME 18
0%
DE 16
0%
AK 15
0%
SD 14
0%
HI 14
0%
WY 10
0%
VT 8
0%