Joseph Boy

Popularity: #32 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationJOE-sef / /ˈdʒoʊsəf/

Hebrew; Latin; Greek

Meaning

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

Historical & Cultural Background

Joseph is a name of significant religious importance, particularly in Christianity and Judaism. In the Bible, Joseph is known as the son of Jacob and Rachel, and also as the earthly father of Jesus. The name has been popular across various cultures and has been borne by numerous saints and historical figures. Its usage has persisted through centuries, making it a classic choice for boys.

Trend Summary

Joseph has consistently remained a popular name in the United States, often ranking within the top 50 names for boys.

Similar Names

Variants

  • Joe
  • Jos
  • Jose
  • Joey

International Variants

  • Giuseppe (Italian)
  • José (Spanish)
  • Yosef (Hebrew)
  • Josef (German)
  • Józef (Polish)

Famous people named Joseph

Joseph Stalin was a Soviet political leader known for his role in the establishment of the Soviet Union.

Joseph Smith was the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, also known as Mormonism.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an American actor and filmmaker known for his roles in films such as 'Inception' and '500 Days of Summer.'.

Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer of the Classical period, known as the 'Father of the Symphony.'.

Fictional characters named Joseph

Joseph Joestar is a main character in the manga and anime series 'JoJo's Bizarre Adventure,' known for his cleverness and resourcefulness.

Sibling Suggestions

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, Illinois, and Ohio. In the past 5 years the name Joseph has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Joseph (2024)

StateBirthsShare
CA 745
11%
TX 691
10%
NY 683
10%
FL 399
6%
PA 333
5%
OH 262
4%
IL 251
4%
NC 215
3%
GA 212
3%
MA 198
3%
VA 187
3%
MI 172
3%
TN 160
2%
IN 156
2%
WA 145
2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

YearBirths
18802,632
18812,456
18822,670
18832,515
18842,707
18852,540
18862,594
18872,456
18882,993
18892,729
18902,670
18912,572
18923,064
18932,997
18942,977
18952,992
18963,051
18972,827
18983,171
18992,679
19003,714
19012,766
19023,098
19033,121
19043,291
19053,302
19063,527
19073,844
19084,162
19094,348
19105,228
19116,488
191212,062
191314,471
191418,829
191523,051
191623,883
191724,761
191826,261
191924,266
192025,587
192126,182
192225,699
192325,561
192425,421
192524,614
192623,756
192723,505
192822,319
192921,165
193020,981
193119,327
193218,565
193317,162
193417,110
193517,182
193617,452
193717,323
193817,740
193917,723
194018,207
194119,808
194222,429
194322,827
194421,175
194520,821
194624,284
194727,521
194826,802
194926,407
195027,022
195128,148
195228,510
195329,267
195431,224
195531,587
195632,748
195731,853
195830,110
195929,537
196029,744
196129,454
196230,089
196330,080
196430,563
196528,633
196626,983
196725,927
196825,396
196926,177
197026,718
197124,514
197222,456
197321,327
197421,835
197522,127
197624,056
197726,485
197826,667
197928,653
198030,185
198130,764
198231,041
198330,444
198430,511
198530,219
198628,832
198728,519
198829,019
198929,882
199030,134
199129,839
199227,902
199327,013
199425,732
199525,352
199624,758
199723,603
199823,186
199923,219
200022,843
200122,030
200221,918
200321,392
200420,145
200519,235
200618,467
200717,361
200816,597
200914,949
201013,851
201112,994
201212,589
201312,276
201412,151
201511,528
201610,961
201710,485
20189,677
20199,174
20208,479
20218,155
20227,828
20237,268
20247,223