Joseph
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- JOH-zef
- Origin
- Hebrew
- UK rank, 2025
- #59 for boys
- US rank, 2025
- #29 for boys
Timeless
Joseph is a boys' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “he will add”. In 2025 it ranked 59th for boys in the UK (922 babies) and 29th for boys in the US (7,303 babies).
What does Joseph mean?
Hebrew
“he will add”
In Genesis, Joseph of the coat of many colours rises to govern Egypt; another Joseph was husband of Mary.
More on Wiktionary.
Is Joseph a girl's or a boy's name?
Joseph is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 922 boys in the UK and 12 girls and 7,303 boys in the US.
How popular is Joseph in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #59among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 922about 1 in 330 boys
- Five-year trend
- Fallingdown 45% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 4.2%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 922 boys in the UK were named Joseph, making it the 59th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 39th. Its busiest year was 1996, with 6,349 boys.
It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 12 years. 2025 had the fewest boys named Joseph since the records began in 1996.
Half of all the boys named Joseph in the UK since 1996 were born between 2000 and 2012. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Among boys in 2025, it was 59th in England and Wales, 65th in Scotland and 54th in Northern Ireland.
In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1904 (#13), 1914 (#12), 1924 (#16), 1934 (#23), 1944 (#36), 1954 (#47), 1964 (#48), 1974 (#59), 1984 (#40), 1994 (#16), 2004 (#10), 2014 (#19) and 2024 (#56).
Joseph in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 922 | #59 |
| 2024 | 1,062 | #53 |
| 2023 | 1,083 | #56 |
| 2022 | 1,275 | #49 |
| 2021 | 1,445 | #45 |
| 2020 | 1,580 | #39 |
| 2019 | 1,844 | #34 |
| 2018 | 2,170 | #27 |
| 2017 | 2,320 | #28 |
| 2016 | 2,731 | #22 |
| 2015 | 3,030 | #22 |
| 2014 | 3,284 | #22 |
| 2013 | 3,466 | #20 |
| 2012 | 3,307 | #21 |
| 2011 | 3,316 | #20 |
| 2010 | 3,749 | #15 |
| 2009 | 3,879 | #14 |
| 2008 | 4,014 | #14 |
| 2007 | 4,120 | #13 |
| 2006 | 4,538 | #12 |
| 2005 | 4,757 | #10 |
| 2004 | 5,303 | #10 |
| 2003 | 5,064 | #11 |
| 2002 | 5,283 | #9 |
| 2001 | 5,509 | #9 |
| 2000 | 6,136 | #8 |
| 1999 | 6,117 | #10 |
| 1998 | 5,625 | #12 |
| 1997 | 6,059 | #10 |
| 1996 | 6,349 | #10 |
How popular is Joseph in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #29among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 7,303about 1 in 230 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadydown 20% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 5.8%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 7,303 boys in the US were named Joseph, making it the 29th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 26th. Its busiest year was 1956, with 32,749 boys. 12 girls were also named Joseph in 2025 (8,360th for girls).
Half of all the boys named Joseph in the US since 1880 were born between 1938 and 1988, the years shaded on the chart below.
Joseph in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7,303 | #29 |
| 2024 | 7,261 | #32 |
| 2023 | 7,279 | #29 |
| 2022 | 7,839 | #30 |
| 2021 | 8,166 | #28 |
| 2020 | 8,486 | #26 |
| 2019 | 9,179 | #24 |
| 2018 | 9,682 | #23 |
| 2017 | 10,488 | #18 |
| 2016 | 10,969 | #20 |
| 2015 | 11,531 | #21 |
| 2014 | 12,155 | #20 |
| 2013 | 12,278 | #20 |
| 2012 | 12,594 | #19 |
| 2011 | 12,995 | #22 |
| 2010 | 13,851 | #20 |
| 2009 | 14,952 | #15 |
| 2008 | 16,599 | #13 |
| 2007 | 17,364 | #13 |
| 2006 | 18,471 | #11 |
| 2005 | 19,241 | #9 |
| 2004 | 20,147 | #9 |
| 2003 | 21,394 | #6 |
| 2002 | 21,920 | #7 |
| 2001 | 22,030 | #8 |
| 2000 | 22,844 | #8 |
| 1999 | 23,220 | #8 |
| 1998 | 23,186 | #11 |
| 1997 | 23,604 | #12 |
| 1996 | 24,758 | #12 |
| 1995 | 25,354 | #12 |
| 1994 | 25,734 | #11 |
| 1993 | 27,014 | #12 |
| 1992 | 27,904 | #11 |
| 1991 | 29,840 | #9 |
| 1990 | 30,137 | #10 |
| 1989 | 29,884 | #11 |
| 1988 | 29,019 | #12 |
| 1987 | 28,516 | #12 |
| 1986 | 28,834 | #12 |
| 1985 | 30,222 | #10 |
| 1984 | 30,513 | #10 |
| 1983 | 30,442 | #11 |
| 1982 | 31,035 | #11 |
| 1981 | 30,761 | #11 |
| 1980 | 30,185 | #10 |
| 1979 | 28,654 | #11 |
| 1978 | 26,663 | #10 |
| 1977 | 26,483 | #10 |
| 1976 | 24,055 | #12 |
| 1975 | 22,125 | #12 |
| 1974 | 21,834 | #12 |
| 1973 | 21,326 | #12 |
| 1972 | 22,454 | #12 |
| 1971 | 24,517 | #15 |
| 1970 | 26,714 | #16 |
| 1969 | 26,173 | #15 |
| 1968 | 25,396 | #16 |
| 1967 | 25,926 | #15 |
| 1966 | 26,981 | #15 |
| 1965 | 28,630 | #11 |
| 1964 | 30,576 | #11 |
| 1963 | 30,077 | #13 |
| 1962 | 30,090 | #13 |
| 1961 | 29,450 | #12 |
| 1960 | 29,749 | #12 |
| 1959 | 29,539 | #13 |
| 1958 | 30,115 | #12 |
| 1957 | 31,851 | #12 |
| 1956 | 32,749 | #12 |
| 1955 | 31,589 | #13 |
| 1954 | 31,221 | #13 |
| 1953 | 29,269 | #13 |
| 1952 | 28,510 | #12 |
| 1951 | 28,147 | #14 |
| 1950 | 27,022 | #13 |
| 1949 | 26,408 | #14 |
| 1948 | 26,801 | #13 |
| 1947 | 27,520 | #14 |
| 1946 | 24,284 | #14 |
| 1945 | 20,823 | #14 |
| 1944 | 21,176 | #13 |
| 1943 | 22,828 | #13 |
| 1942 | 22,429 | #11 |
| 1941 | 19,808 | #12 |
| 1940 | 18,208 | #12 |
| 1939 | 17,722 | #12 |
| 1938 | 17,742 | #12 |
| 1937 | 17,322 | #12 |
| 1936 | 17,453 | #11 |
| 1935 | 17,181 | #10 |
| 1934 | 17,111 | #10 |
| 1933 | 17,162 | #9 |
| 1932 | 18,566 | #9 |
| 1931 | 19,326 | #9 |
| 1930 | 20,981 | #9 |
| 1929 | 21,165 | #9 |
| 1928 | 22,322 | #9 |
| 1927 | 23,503 | #9 |
| 1926 | 23,756 | #8 |
| 1925 | 24,613 | #7 |
| 1924 | 25,421 | #7 |
| 1923 | 25,561 | #7 |
| 1922 | 25,699 | #7 |
| 1921 | 26,182 | #7 |
| 1920 | 25,587 | #7 |
| 1919 | 24,266 | #7 |
| 1918 | 26,261 | #7 |
| 1917 | 24,761 | #5 |
| 1916 | 23,883 | #5 |
| 1915 | 23,051 | #5 |
| 1914 | 18,829 | #5 |
| 1913 | 14,471 | #5 |
| 1912 | 12,062 | #5 |
| 1911 | 6,488 | #6 |
| 1910 | 5,228 | #6 |
| 1909 | 4,348 | #6 |
| 1908 | 4,162 | #6 |
| 1907 | 3,844 | #7 |
| 1906 | 3,527 | #7 |
| 1905 | 3,302 | #7 |
| 1904 | 3,291 | #7 |
| 1903 | 3,121 | #6 |
| 1902 | 3,098 | #7 |
| 1901 | 2,766 | #6 |
| 1900 | 3,714 | #7 |
| 1899 | 2,679 | #6 |
| 1898 | 3,171 | #6 |
| 1897 | 2,827 | #6 |
| 1896 | 3,051 | #6 |
| 1895 | 2,992 | #7 |
| 1894 | 2,977 | #6 |
| 1893 | 2,997 | #6 |
| 1892 | 3,064 | #7 |
| 1891 | 2,572 | #7 |
| 1890 | 2,670 | #7 |
| 1889 | 2,729 | #7 |
| 1888 | 2,993 | #7 |
| 1887 | 2,456 | #7 |
| 1886 | 2,594 | #7 |
| 1885 | 2,540 | #7 |
| 1884 | 2,707 | #7 |
| 1883 | 2,515 | #7 |
| 1882 | 2,670 | #7 |
| 1881 | 2,456 | #7 |
| 1880 | 2,632 | #7 |
Nicknames for Joseph
Names like Joseph
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
James William Thomas John David Daniel Michael Jack Harry Charles Samuel Robert
Other spellings of Joseph
Names related to Joseph
More Hebrew names
Noah Isabella Elijah Mia Ava Jude Ezra Benjamin Isaac Jacob Ethan Elias Mateo Elsie Levi Eliana
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Joseph: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/joseph, updated 20 October 2026.