How to say it
JO · zuf
ˈdʒoʊ.zəf
Masculine
Joseph
He will add
What it means
From the Hebrew Yosef, meaning 'he will add.' The second half of Rachel's prayer in Genesis: 'May God add another.'
Two major biblical Josephs anchor the name: Joseph the son of Jacob (sold into Egypt, rises to Pharaoh's right hand, the technicolor dreamcoat story) and Joseph the husband of Mary in the New Testament. Christianity carried it into every European language. Spanish José is one of the most-given boys' names across Latin America (and the form behind countless English-speaking Josephs in US Latino communities). Italian Giuseppe and Arabic Yusuf are forms of the same Hebrew root. Joseph has held US top thirty for boys for most of the past century. Common short forms: Joe, Joey.
How to spell Joseph
The standard spelling is Joseph. Common variants include Yosef, José, Giuseppe, Yusuf, Józef, but Joseph is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #5 in 1912, currently #29 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Joe is universal; Joey is the childhood version. Some Italian families use Joseph as the formal form of Giuseppe.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Joseph (Bible) Coat of many colors, sold into Egypt, rose to viceroy
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt Actor, 500 Days of Summer and Inception
- Joseph Pulitzer Newspaper magnate, namesake of the prize
Spelling variants
- Yosef
- José
- Giuseppe
- Yusuf
- Józef
Names with the same feeling
See Joseph from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Joseph mean?
- From the Hebrew Yosef, meaning 'he will add.' The second half of Rachel's prayer in Genesis: 'May God add another.'
- What does Joseph mean in Hebrew?
- In Hebrew, Joseph means "He will add." Two major biblical Josephs anchor the name: Joseph the son of Jacob (sold into Egypt, rises to Pharaoh's right hand, the technicolor dreamcoat story) and Joseph the husband of Mary in the New Testament. Christianity carried it into every European language. Spanish José is one of the most-given boys' names across Latin America (and the form behind countless English-speaking Josephs in US Latino communities). Italian Giuseppe and Arabic Yusuf are forms of the same Hebrew root. Joseph has held US top thirty for boys for most of the past century. Common short forms: Joe, Joey.
- How do you pronounce Joseph?
- Joseph is pronounced ˈdʒoʊ.zəf. Say it as JO-zuf, with the stress on the "jo" syllable.
- How do you spell Joseph?
- The standard spelling is Joseph. Common spelling variants include Yosef, José, Giuseppe, Yusuf, Józef.
- Is Joseph a boy or girl name?
- Joseph is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Joseph?
- Joseph ranked #29 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.