Joseph
2025 SSA
2025 SSA
About Joseph
Joseph is one of the most classic names in American nomenclature, popular with parents from many ethnic backgrounds and having dual-religious appeal.
Joseph for boys#29 US
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.
Joseph for girls#8591 US
Joseph as a feminine name represents an unusual gender crossover of a traditionally masculine name with deep biblical roots. The original Joseph derives from the Hebrew name Yosef, meaning 'he will add' or 'God will increase.' While Joseph has a long history as one of the most enduring masculine names across many cultures, its use for girls remains exceptionally rare. This feminine usage might reflect the modern trend of repurposing traditionally male names for girls, similar to names like James or Ryan that have seen some feminine adoption. Parents choosing Joseph for a daughter might be honoring a family member, appreciating the name's strong biblical legacy, or simply embracing its unconventional nature for girls. The feminine use of Joseph offers built-in nickname options like Jo or Josie that align more with traditional feminine naming patterns.
Pronounced JO-sef.
As of October 2026, Joseph ranked #29 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #5 in 1913, Nameberry popularity #226.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #20 | 12,151 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #21 | 11,528 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #20 | 10,961 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #18 | 10,485 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #23 | 9,677 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #24 | 9,174 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #26 | 8,479 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #28 | 8,155 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #30 | 7,828 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #29 | 7,268 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #32 | 7,223 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #29 | 7,303 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Similar names
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Joseph on lists
Famous Josephs
- Joseph Robinette "Joe" BidenBoy
47th U.S. Vice President and 46th U.S. President,elect
- JosephBoy
eleventh son of Jacob in the Bible
- Saint JosephBoy
husband of Mary
- Joseph IBoy
Holy Roman Emperor
- Joseph II (Joseph Benedikt Anton Michael Adam)Boy
Holy Roman Emperor
- Joseph IBoy
King of Portugal
- JosephBoy
Napoléon Bonaparte, King of Naples and Sicily
- JosephBoy
of the sons of Bani (Ezra 10:42)
- Joseph Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis Dze Jugashvili)Boy
Soviet dictator
- Joseph Jacques Cesaire JoffreBoy
French general in WWI
- Joseph Brant or ThayendanegeaBoy
Mohawk leader
- Joseph SmithBoy
American religious leader of the Restoration Movement
- Joseph "Joe" Louis (Barrow)Boy
American boxer
- Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggioBoy
American baseball player
- Joseph Mary PlunkettBoy
Irish revolutionary leader and signatory
- Joseph Isadore "Joe" LiebermanBoy
U.S. Senator from Connecticut
- Joseph Leonard GordonBoy
Levitt, American actor
- Joseph Walter "Joe" JacksonBoy
American talent manager; father of the Jackson musical family
- Joseph Dalton HookerBoy
English botanist
- Joseph John CampbellBoy
American mythologist and writer
- Joseph Albert CampbellBoy
American founder of Campbell's Soup
- Joseph Kabila (Kabange)Boy
president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Joseph Adam "Joe" JonasBoy
American musician
- Joseph Anthony "Joey" BartonBoy
English footballer
- Joseph LevitchBoy
birth name of comedian and actor Jerry Lewis
- Joseph Steven "Joe" SakicBoy
Canadian ice hockey player
- Joseph "Joe" NieuwendykBoy
Canadian ice hockey player
- Joseph Lloyd Simmons aka Rev. RunBoy
American rapper
- Joseph PriestleyBoy
English chemist who discovered oxygen
- Joseph SzigetiBoy
Hungarian violinist
- Joseph William "Joe" FrazierBoy
American boxer
- Joseph Fidler "Joe" WalshBoy
American singer and guitarist
- Joseph Clifford "Joe" MontanaBoy
American NFL player
- Joseph James "Joe" RoganBoy
American comedian
- Anthony Joseph "Joe" PerryBoy
guitarist of American band Aerosmith
- Joseph Benson ForakerBoy
U.S. Senator and 37th governor of Ohio
- Joseph Mark "Joe" TrohmanBoy
guitarist of American rock band Fall Out Boy
- Joseph Morgan (born Joseph Martin)Boy
English actor
- Joseph “Joe” Michael Jaquest coleBoy
English Actor
- Joseph GarrettBoy
English YouTuber known for his channel "stampylonghead"
- Joseph Michael "Joey" GraceffaBoy
American vlogger
- Joseph Robinette "Beau" Biden IIIBoy
son of US VP Joe Biden
- Joseph Graham "Joe" SuggBoy
British vlogger
- Joseph "Joe" GattoBoy
actor and comedian from TV's Impractical Jokers
- Joseph "Joe" RussoBoy
American director
- Joseph Garrett DuggarBoy
7th child of the reality TV's Duggar family
- Joseph Marciano ArmstrongBoy
son of musician Billie Joe Armstrong
- Joseph Raymond RomanoBoy
son of actor and comedian Ray Romano
- Joseph Gunnar Lee (b. 2007)Boy
son of American actress Traci Lords
- Joseph Michael Jennings (b. 2009)Boy
son of beach volleyball player Kerri Lee Walsh Jennings
- Joseph Stout (b. 2012)Boy
son of American YouTubers Jason and Jessica "Aphmau" Stout
- Joseph Henrie (b. 2016)Boy
son of American actor Lorenzo Henrie
- Joseph "Joe" HottingerBoy
lead guitar of band Halestorm
- Joseph Frederick Kushner (b. 2013)Boy
son of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner; grandson of President Donald Trump
- Joseph Lister (1827 – 1912)Boy
British Surgeon, Pioneer of Antiseptic surgery. Considered the "Father of Modern Surgery".
Joseph in pop culture
- Joseph "Joey" Francis TribbianiBoy
character on TV's "Friends"
- Joseph SullivanBoy
character on TV's "Heroes"
- Joseph "Joe" GoldbergBoy
character in book and TV's "You"
- "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatBoy
" musical based on Joseph, son of Jacob
- Joseph JoestarBoy
character from "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure"
- Joseph KavinskyBoy
character in book series "The Raven Cycle"
- Joseph "Joe" WestBoy
character on TV's "The Flash"
- Joseph OdaBoy
character in the video game "The Evil Within"
- Joseph SchreiberBoy
character in the video game "Silent Hill 4"
- Joseph FrostBoy
minor character in the Resident Evil series
- Joseph LynchBoy
character in the film "Assassin's Creed"
- Joseph ChristiansenBoy
character in the video game "Dream Daddy"
- "Joseph CourtneyBoy
" song by the band Fencer
- Joseph SeedBoy
character in the video game "Far Cry 5"
- Joseph SternBoy
character in the second campaign of the podcast "The Adventure Zone"