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Joseph

Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
Grace
By Grace
Updated Mon Sep 02 2024

Joseph Origin and Meaning

The name Joseph is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "Jehovah increases".

Joseph is one of the most classic names in American nomenclature, popular with parents from many ethnic backgrounds and having dual-religious appeal.

The warm and friendly nickname Joe is the all-time regular guy name, as in Joe Blow, G.I. Joe, etc., celebrated in songs like 'Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe.' Joe is frequently used on its own, as Kate Winslet did for her son.

Joseph evolved from the Hebrew name Yosef, which was derived from the verb yasaf, meaning "to increase." In the Old Testament, Joseph is the 11th and favorite son of Jacob and Rachel; in the New Testament, it is the name of the carpenter husband of the Virgin Mary, mother of Christ.

Along with Joe, Joey is a usual short form. Variations of Joseph are popular worldwide, including Jose, Giuseppe and Josef, The most popular feminine form of Joseph is Josephine, but Joanna and Joanne are also found today for girls, along with Josie and Jo.

# 29 in the US

Joseph Rank in US Top 1000

# 245 on Nameberry

Joseph Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Joseph Popularity

Famous People Named Joseph

  • Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden47th U.S. Vice President and 46th U.S. President,elect
  • Josepheleventh son of Jacob in the Bible
  • Saint Josephhusband of Mary
  • Saint Joseph of Arimathea
  • Joseph IHoly Roman Emperor
  • Joseph II (Joseph Benedikt Anton Michael Adam)Holy Roman Emperor
  • Joseph IKing of Portugal
  • JosephNapoléon Bonaparte, King of Naples and Sicily
  • Josephof the sons of Bani (Ezra 10:42)
  • Joseph Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis Dze Jugashvili)Soviet dictator
  • Joseph Jacques Cesaire JoffreFrench general in WWI
  • Joseph Brant or ThayendanegeaMohawk leader
  • Joseph SmithAmerican religious leader of the Restoration Movement
  • Joseph "Joe" Louis (Barrow)American boxer
  • Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggioAmerican baseball player
  • Joseph Mary PlunkettIrish revolutionary leader and signatory
  • Joseph Isadore "Joe" LiebermanU.S. Senator from Connecticut
  • Joseph Leonard GordonLevitt, American actor
  • Joseph Walter "Joe" JacksonAmerican talent manager; father of the Jackson musical family
  • Joseph Dalton HookerEnglish botanist
  • Joseph John CampbellAmerican mythologist and writer
  • Joseph Albert CampbellAmerican founder of Campbell's Soup
  • Joseph Kabila (Kabange)president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Joseph Adam "Joe" JonasAmerican musician
  • Joseph Anthony "Joey" BartonEnglish footballer
  • Joseph Levitchbirth name of comedian and actor Jerry Lewis
  • Joseph Steven "Joe" SakicCanadian ice hockey player
  • Joseph "Joe" NieuwendykCanadian ice hockey player
  • Joseph Lloyd Simmons aka Rev. RunAmerican rapper
  • Joseph PriestleyEnglish chemist who discovered oxygen
  • Joseph SzigetiHungarian violinist
  • Joseph William "Joe" FrazierAmerican boxer
  • Joseph Fidler "Joe" WalshAmerican singer and guitarist
  • Joseph Clifford "Joe" MontanaAmerican NFL player
  • Joseph James "Joe" RoganAmerican comedian
  • Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perryguitarist of American band Aerosmith
  • Joseph Benson ForakerU.S. Senator and 37th governor of Ohio
  • Joseph Mark "Joe" Trohmanguitarist of American rock band Fall Out Boy
  • Joseph Morgan (born Joseph Martin)English actor
  • Joseph “Joe” Michael Jaquest coleEnglish Actor
  • Joseph GarrettEnglish YouTuber known for his channel "stampylonghead"
  • Joseph Michael "Joey" GraceffaAmerican vlogger
  • Joseph Robinette "Beau" Biden IIIson of US VP Joe Biden
  • Joseph Graham "Joe" SuggBritish vlogger
  • Joseph "Joe" Gattoactor and comedian from TV's Impractical Jokers
  • Joseph "Joe" RussoAmerican director
  • Joseph Garrett Duggar7th child of the reality TV's Duggar family
  • Joseph Marciano Armstrongson of musician Billie Joe Armstrong
  • Joseph Raymond Romanoson of actor and comedian Ray Romano
  • Joseph Gunnar Lee (b. 2007)son of American actress Traci Lords
  • Joseph Michael Jennings (b. 2009)son of beach volleyball player Kerri Lee Walsh Jennings
  • Joseph Stout (b. 2012)son of American YouTubers Jason and Jessica "Aphmau" Stout
  • Joseph Henrie (b. 2016)son of American actor Lorenzo Henrie
  • Joseph "Joe" Hottingerlead guitar of band Halestorm
  • Joseph Frederick Kushner (b. 2013)son of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner; grandson of President Donald Trump
  • Joseph Lister (1827 – 1912)British Surgeon, Pioneer of Antiseptic surgery. Considered the "Father of Modern Surgery".

Joseph in Pop Culture

  • Joseph "Joey" Francis Tribbianicharacter on TV's "Friends"
  • Joseph Sullivancharacter on TV's "Heroes"
  • Joseph "Joe" Goldbergcharacter in book and TV's "You"
  • "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" musical based on Joseph, son of Jacob
  • Joseph Joestarcharacter from "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure"
  • Joseph Kavinskycharacter in book series "The Raven Cycle"
  • Joseph "Joe" Westcharacter on TV's "The Flash"
  • Joseph Odacharacter in the video game "The Evil Within"
  • Joseph Schreibercharacter in the video game "Silent Hill 4"
  • Joseph Frostminor character in the Resident Evil series
  • Joseph Lynchcharacter in the film "Assassin's Creed"
  • Joseph Christiansencharacter in the video game "Dream Daddy"
  • "Joseph Courtney" song by the band Fencer
  • Joseph Seedcharacter in the video game "Far Cry 5"
  • Joseph Sterncharacter in the second campaign of the podcast "The Adventure Zone"

Joseph in Nameberry Blog Posts