Joseph

Joseph is one of the most classic names in American nomenclature, popular with parents from many ethnic backgrounds and having dual-religious appeal. In the Old Testament, Joseph is the 12th 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.

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.

So even if Joseph may be dipping ever so slightly in the popularity charts -- it fell out of the Top 20 for two years before squeaking back on in 2016, at Number 20 -- it will always be a strong and solid choice. Variations of Joseph are popular worldwide, including Jose, Giuseppe and Josef, while the female Josephine is a currently enjoying a style revival.