Joseph
Meaninghe will add · Hebrew
- US rank
- #29
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #5 in 1917
7,303 babies were named Joseph in the US in 2025. It has dropped 3 places in five years.
Nicknames & spellings
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Joseph you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Joseph
Joseph Conrad
Polish-British writer (1857–1924)
Choose Joseph and your child shares a first name with Joseph Conrad, a Polish-British writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Joseph, like who?” Joseph Conrad's Wikipedia article is available in 129 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Joseph Conrad on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: George Charles Beresford, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 234 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Joseph, 7,303 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Joseph.
- HistoryJoseph has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Josephs, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1917, when it ranked #5. Today it's #29, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowJoseph was 2.7× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 86 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 234.
- Where it's lovedJoseph is most popular in New Jersey, where it ranks #5, followed by New York (#7) and Louisiana (#9). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Hebrew, Joseph means “he will add”.
About the name Joseph
Joseph is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “he will add”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with J and ending in “-eph”. US birth records list Joseph for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1917, when it ranked #5 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #29, with 7,303 babies.
Origin:Hebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 24,002 | 42 boys |
| 1890s | 25,412 | 39 boys |
| 1900s | 25,889 | 39 boys |
| 1910s | 27,210 | 37 boys |
| 1920s | 22,132 | 45 boys |
| 1930s | 17,094 | 58 boys |
| 1940s | 15,523 | 64 boys |
| 1950s | 14,848 | 67 boys |
| 1960s | 14,715 | 68 boys |
| 1970s | 14,816 | 67 boys |
| 1980s | 16,246 | 62 boys |
| 1990s | 13,364 | 75 boys |
| 2000s | 9,790 | 102 boys |
| 2010s | 6,143 | 163 boys |
| 2020s | 4,470 | 224 boys |
More Hebrew boy names
- Unisex name: Noah · rest, comfort
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: Elijah · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Levi · joined, attached
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Joseph
What does the name Joseph mean?
Joseph means “he will add” in Hebrew.
What is the origin of the name Joseph?
Joseph has Hebrew roots in our records. Other Hebrew names include Noah, James, Elijah.
Is Joseph a boy or girl name?
Joseph is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Joseph?
Joseph ranked #29 for US boys in 2025, given to 7,303 babies. Its best year was 1917 (#5).