Joseph

Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

Joseph Origin and Meaning

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

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. Joe and Joey are common nicknames for Joseph, and Josephine is the feminine form.

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.

So even if Joseph may not be as popular as it once was, 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.

• 24 US 2019
• 182 Nameberry 2021
• 35 England 2019
• 81 France 2019
• 70 Scotland 2020
• 60 Ireland 2020
• 164 Germany 2016
• 48 Sweden 2016
• 68 New Zealand 2020
• 62 Australia 2019
• 84 2028 2028