Joseph Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Joseph has Hebrew origins, meaning 'He will add' or 'God will increase'. It evolved through different languages and has been used historically due to its biblical relevance. The name is associated with traits of strength and reliability, with a significant presence in various cultures. Joseph also has notable biblical relevance, being a key figure in both the Old and New Testaments.
The name Joseph is most popular in Rhode Island, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the G.I. Generation generation in the Northeast region. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is declining in usage, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been gradually declining. From 2020-2022, Joseph has been too falling for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, falling for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, falling for male in South, stalled for female in South, too rising for male in West, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been too rising for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, too rising for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, too rising for male in South, stalled for female in South, too rising for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Joseph' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 7th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 11th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 11th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 10th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 10th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 9th out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 21st out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 717th out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 760th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 1121st out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 900th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 1158th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 3995th out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 9007th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Joseph' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Joseph"
Pronunciation
/ˈdʒoʊsəf/
Origin
Hebrew
Etymology
The name Joseph comes from the Hebrew name Yosef, which means 'He will add' or 'God will increase'.
Meaning
He will add, God will increase
Language Evolution
Yosef (Hebrew), Ioseph (Latin), Josephus (Latinized Greek), Joseph (Old French, Middle English)
Biblical Background
Joseph is a prominent biblical figure, known as the son of Jacob and Rachel in the Old Testament. He is also recognized as the earthly father of Jesus in the New Testament.
Historical Usage
The name Joseph gained popularity in the Christian world due to its biblical associations, particularly during the Middle Ages. It became common in various forms across Europe.
Variants & Derivatives
Joe, Joey, Jose, Giuseppe, José
Modern Popularity & Image
Joseph remains a widely used name today, often associated with strength, reliability, and a sense of tradition.
Famous People
Joseph Smith (founder of the Latter Day Saint movement), Joseph Stalin (Soviet leader), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (actor), Joseph Haydn (composer)
Explore More Joseph Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Joseph"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Joseph"
"Joseph" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 7th of 7545 | 411,084 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 11th of 6773 | 349,316 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 11th of 7552 | 554,950 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 10th of 10718 | 408,139 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 10th of 16616 | 459,961 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 9th of 24088 | 304,379 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 21st of 23106 | 115,205 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 717th of 9107 | 1,823 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 760th of 9204 | 1,641 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 1121st of 12526 | 1,600 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 900th of 19264 | 2,358 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 1158th of 27321 | 2,275 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 3995th of 35406 | 557 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 9007th of 30306 | 139 |
Regional Popularity of "Joseph" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
0.71% 10th/1416 |
0.22% 3rd/1379 |
0.38% 9th/2366 |
1.05% 12th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
1.03% 16th/1546 |
0.39% 6th/1556 |
0.59% 14th/2353 |
1.55% 24th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
0.99% 22nd/2227 |
0.37% 9th/2430 |
0.60% 17th/2853 |
0.68% 19th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
0.58% 17th/2937 |
0.20% 7th/3483 |
0.37% 13th/3518 |
0.40% 16th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
0.27% 10th/3685 |
0.11% 5th/4475 |
0.25% 13th/5194 |
0.16% 10th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
0.20% 9th/4582 |
0.08% 4th/5164 |
0.18% 13th/7313 |
0.16% 12th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
0.63% 25th/3984 |
0.18% 8th/4487 |
0.45% 31st/6822 |
0.45% 28th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Joseph" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
48.94% 693rd/1416 |
27.99% 386th/1379 |
48.39% 1145th/2366 |
- |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
50.65% 783rd/1546 |
27.89% 434th/1556 |
46.24% 1088th/2353 |
92.70% 1434th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
54.42% 1212th/2227 |
31.36% 762nd/2430 |
48.76% 1391st/2853 |
52.00% 1443rd/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
31.60% 928th/2937 |
19.90% 693rd/3483 |
32.86% 1156th/3518 |
26.36% 1066th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
29.36% 1082nd/3685 |
21.81% 976th/4475 |
23.32% 1211th/5194 |
19.98% 1262nd/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- |
50.37% 2601st/5164 |
47.86% 3500th/7313 |
63.94% 4772nd/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- |
100.00% 4487th/4487 |
- | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Joseph"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Joseph" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.