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First Name
2.6m
in the U.S.
since 1880

Last Name
101k
in the U.S.
in 2010

Joseph

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: God will Increase
Free Horoscope
Gender: Boy
8^th All Time
21^st in 2015
313^th in 2010

Girls

Boys

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Last

Similar Names

8k Josef (German)

Nicknames and Given Names for Joseph

180k Jo
87k Jody
461k Joe
57k Joey
<100 Jos
431 Joss

How to Pronounce Joseph

Joseph Pronunciations

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How popular is the baby name Joseph in the U.S.?

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Click Here to Show Chart Data

Year	Total Babies Born	Girls Born	Boys Born	Ranking
1880	2,642	10	2,632	#7 boy name
1881	2,466	10	2,456	#7 boy name
1882	2,676	6	2,670	#7 boy name
1883	2,532	17	2,515	#7 boy name
1884	2,716	9	2,707	#7 boy name
1885	2,554	14	2,540	#7 boy name
1886	2,602	8	2,594	#7 boy name
1887	2,469	13	2,456	#7 boy name
1888	3,011	18	2,993	#7 boy name
1889	2,736	7	2,729	#7 boy name
1890	2,681	11	2,670	#7 boy name
1891	2,583	11	2,572	#7 boy name
1892	3,077	13	3,064	#7 boy name
1893	3,023	26	2,997	#6 boy name
1894	2,994	17	2,977	#6 boy name
1895	3,015	23	2,992	#7 boy name
1896	3,075	24	3,051	#6 boy name
1897	2,847	20	2,827	#6 boy name
1898	3,194	23	3,171	#6 boy name
1899	2,698	19	2,679	#6 boy name
1900	3,728	14	3,714	#7 boy name
1901	2,780	14	2,766	#6 boy name
1902	3,106	8	3,098	#7 boy name
1903	3,134	13	3,121	#6 boy name
1904	3,309	18	3,291	#7 boy name
1905	3,324	22	3,302	#7 boy name
1906	3,548	21	3,527	#7 boy name
1907	3,856	12	3,844	#7 boy name
1908	4,183	21	4,162	#6 boy name
1909	4,378	30	4,348	#6 boy name
1910	5,257	29	5,228	#6 boy name
1911	6,516	28	6,488	#6 boy name
1912	12,106	44	12,062	#5 boy name
1913	14,509	38	14,471	#5 boy name
1914	18,897	69	18,828	#5 boy name
1915	23,121	69	23,052	#5 boy name
1916	23,959	77	23,882	#5 boy name
1917	24,857	94	24,763	#5 boy name
1918	26,353	90	26,263	#7 boy name
1919	24,352	89	24,263	#7 boy name
1920	25,707	112	25,595	#7 boy name
1921	26,296	120	26,176	#7 boy name
1922	25,806	104	25,702	#7 boy name
1923	25,662	106	25,556	#7 boy name
1924	25,565	135	25,430	#7 boy name
1925	24,744	132	24,612	#7 boy name
1926	23,923	161	23,762	#8 boy name
1927	23,668	166	23,502	#9 boy name
1928	22,498	182	22,316	#9 boy name
1929	21,313	157	21,156	#9 boy name
1930	21,123	143	20,980	#9 boy name
1931	19,440	112	19,328	#9 boy name
1932	18,662	104	18,558	#9 boy name
1933	17,256	100	17,156	#9 boy name
1934	17,190	87	17,103	#10 boy name
1935	17,259	76	17,183	#10 boy name
1936	17,521	70	17,451	#11 boy name
1937	17,373	61	17,312	#12 boy name
1938	17,810	75	17,735	#12 boy name
1939	17,777	60	17,717	#12 boy name
1940	18,268	64	18,204	#12 boy name
1941	19,865	66	19,799	#12 boy name
1942	22,501	79	22,422	#11 boy name
1943	22,885	66	22,819	#13 boy name
1944	21,250	81	21,169	#13 boy name
1945	20,878	58	20,820	#14 boy name
1946	24,342	61	24,281	#14 boy name
1947	27,583	68	27,515	#14 boy name
1948	26,869	69	26,800	#13 boy name
1949	26,469	56	26,413	#14 boy name
1950	27,110	64	27,046	#13 boy name
1951	28,178	52	28,126	#14 boy name
1952	28,575	67	28,508	#12 boy name
1953	29,312	59	29,253	#13 boy name
1954	31,279	76	31,203	#13 boy name
1955	31,675	86	31,589	#13 boy name
1956	32,787	83	32,704	#12 boy name
1957	31,907	95	31,812	#12 boy name
1958	30,168	81	30,087	#12 boy name
1959	29,618	92	29,526	#13 boy name
1960	29,876	119	29,757	#12 boy name
1961	29,561	112	29,449	#12 boy name
1962	30,192	105	30,087	#13 boy name
1963	30,234	137	30,097	#13 boy name
1964	30,690	119	30,571	#11 boy name
1965	28,781	120	28,661	#11 boy name
1966	27,097	100	26,997	#15 boy name
1967	26,064	122	25,942	#15 boy name
1968	25,538	134	25,404	#16 boy name
1969	26,351	154	26,197	#15 boy name
1970	26,871	138	26,733	#16 boy name
1971	24,660	148	24,512	#15 boy name
1972	22,599	128	22,471	#12 boy name
1973	21,460	134	21,326	#12 boy name
1974	21,967	124	21,843	#12 boy name
1975	22,279	132	22,147	#12 boy name
1976	24,214	142	24,072	#12 boy name
1977	26,669	176	26,493	#10 boy name
1978	26,854	181	26,673	#10 boy name
1979	28,878	209	28,669	#10 boy name
1980	30,410	217	30,193	#10 boy name
1981	30,953	185	30,768	#11 boy name
1982	31,239	195	31,044	#11 boy name
1983	30,657	211	30,446	#11 boy name
1984	30,718	211	30,507	#10 boy name
1985	30,441	227	30,214	#10 boy name
1986	29,028	208	28,820	#12 boy name
1987	28,723	217	28,506	#12 boy name
1988	29,178	182	28,996	#12 boy name
1989	30,012	139	29,873	#11 boy name
1990	30,208	84	30,124	#10 boy name
1991	29,924	88	29,836	#9 boy name
1992	27,957	68	27,889	#11 boy name
1993	27,071	67	27,004	#12 boy name
1994	25,803	77	25,726	#11 boy name
1995	25,402	62	25,340	#12 boy name
1996	24,799	52	24,747	#12 boy name
1997	23,630	45	23,585	#12 boy name
1998	23,223	50	23,173	#11 boy name
1999	23,247	44	23,203	#8 boy name
2000	22,844	24	22,820	#8 boy name
2001	22,026	27	21,999	#8 boy name
2002	21,924	35	21,889	#7 boy name
2003	21,383	31	21,352	#7 boy name
2004	20,220	103	20,117	#9 boy name
2005	19,235	36	19,199	#9 boy name
2006	18,460	29	18,431	#11 boy name
2007	17,352	28	17,324	#13 boy name
2008	16,580	30	16,550	#13 boy name
2009	14,922	20	14,902	#15 boy name
2010	13,822	16	13,806	#20 boy name
2011	12,959	23	12,936	#22 boy name
2012	12,540	16	12,524	#19 boy name
2013	12,215	20	12,195	#20 boy name
2014	12,086	6	12,080	#20 boy name
2015	11,386	11	11,375	#21 boy name

Fun Facts about the name Joseph

How many people with the first name Joseph have been born in the United States? From 1880 to 2015, the Social Security Administration has recorded 2,592,388 babies born with the first name Joseph in the United States. That's more than enough people named Joseph to occupy the country of Namibia with an estimated population of 2,364,000 (as of July 1, 2012).
What year were 5 or more babies first named Joseph? The name was first given to 5 or more babies in the year 1880 when it was given as a first name to 2,642 new born babies.
When was Joseph first recorded in the United States? The oldest recorded birth by the Social Security Administration for the first name Joseph is Thursday, March 20th, 1806.
What year had the most people named Joseph born? The highest recorded use of the first name Joseph was in 1956 with a total of 32,704 babies. That's a lot of babies named Joseph!
Random Joseph Factoid: According to the 1971 U.S. Social Security Administration data, the first name Joseph ranks 19^th in popularity as a baby boy's name in California. Imagine that, 1,872 babies in California have the same name as you in 1971.
Weird things about the name Joseph: Your name in reverse order is Hpesoj. A random rearrangement of the letters in your name (anagram) will give Sjohep. How do you pronounce that?
How many people have the last name Joseph? In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau surveyed 100,959 people with the last name Joseph.
How likely are you to meet someone with the last name of Joseph? Joseph was ranked as the 313^th most popular last name but is still less than 0.1% of the population!

Where is the name Joseph popular?

View popular names by state or region.

Popularity of Joseph as a first name

The map shows the relative popularity of the name Joseph as a first name in each of the states. See other popular names in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, or New Jersey.

Popularity of Joseph as a last name

The map shows the relative popularity of the name Joseph as a last name in each of the states. See other popular names in U.S. Virgin Islands, Louisiana, or Alaska.

Common last names for Joseph

Smith
Johnson
Miller
Brown
Williams
Jones
Davis
Martin
Thomas
Murphy
White
Wilson
Kelly
Taylor
Thompson
Moore
Jackson
Anderson
Sullivan
Harris

Common first names for Joseph

Ethnicity Distribution

Ethnicity		Joseph	U.S.
█	White	29.59%	64.26%
█	African American	54.19%	11.96%
█	Asian, Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander	9.76%	4.85%
█	American Indian and Alaska Native	0.99%	0.69%
█	Two or More Ethnicities	2.49%	1.76%
█	Hispanic or Latino	2.98%	16.26%

Of Last Name Joseph

People with the last name Joseph are most frequently White or African American

Entire United States

Meaning, Origin, Inspirations, and Associations

Have you been wondering what does the name "Joseph" mean? The list below shows the origins of Joseph as well as things modernly associated with the name Joseph such as celebrities named Joseph.

Hebrew

Origin and Meaning of Joseph

The name "Joseph" is of Hebrew origin, and it means "God will Increase". It's a name commonly given to boys.

Webster's Unabridged Dictionary

noun Jo"seph

An outer garment worn in the 18th century; esp., a woman's riding habit, buttoned down the front.

Other Dictionary Sources

(New Testament) husband of Mary and (in Christian belief) the foster father of Jesus
(Old Testament) the 11th son of Jacob and one of the 12 patriarchs of Israel; Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors, which made his brothers jealous and they sold him into slavery in Egypt
Leader of the Nez Perce in their retreat from United States troops (1840-1904)
Synonyms: chief joseph

Wiktionary

Old Testament Hebrew ×™×•Ö¹×¡Öµ×£ (YosÃ©f, â€œ(God) shall addâ€); a son of Jacob.

(biblical) Eleventh and favorite son of Jacob, by his wife Rachel.
The husband of Virgin Mary.
The 12th sura (chapter) of the Quran
(Christianity) Joseph of Arimathea; man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus.
A male given name, popular as a middle name.

Joseph was also found in the following language(s): French, German, and Manx

Notable Persons With the Name Joseph

Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin was a General secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Chairman of the Council of Ministers, General secretaryof theCentral Committeeof theCommunist Party of the Soviet Union, and Chairmanof theCouncil of Ministers. Joseph was born on December 18th, 1878 in Gori, Georgia. He passed away on March 5th, 1953.

Popularity:

Jason Momoa

Jason Momoa is an actor, model, director, writer, and producer. His ongoing career started in 1998. Jason was given the name Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa on August 1st, 1979 in Honolulu.

Popularity:

Joseph G. Christopher

Joseph G. Christopher was a noteworthy individual. Joseph was born on July 26th, 1955 in New York. He passed away on March 1st, 1993.

Popularity:

Joseph Goebbels

Joseph Goebbels was a Hitler Cabinet. Joseph was given the name Paul Joseph Goebbels on October 29th, 1897 in Rheydt. He passed away on May 1st, 1945.

Popularity:

Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan is a satire, political satire, ribaldry, and observational comedy comedian. Joe was given the name Joseph James Rogan on August 11th, 1967 in Newark, New Jersey, United States.

Popularity:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an actor, filmmaker, and production company owner. He was most active from 1988 to present. Joseph was given the name Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt on February 17th, 1981 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Popularity:

Rudyard Kipling

(short story writer)
Joseph McCarthy

(office holder)
Vijay

(actor)
Joe Jonas

(musician)
Joe Pesci

(actor)
Jerry Lewis

(comedian)
Joe Walsh

(musician)
Mickey Rooney

(actor)
Joe Manganiello

(actor)
Joss Whedon

(writer)
Joseph Merrick

(noteworthy human)
Joseph Fiennes

(actor)
Buster Keaton

(actor)
J. M. W. Turner

(artist)

Notable Persons With the Last Name Joseph

Tyler Joseph

Tyler Joseph is an alternative hip hop, electropop, and indie pop musician. He plays Vocals, Ukulele, Piano, Keytar, Bass guitar, Accordion, and Electronic keyboard. He was most active from 2009 to present. Tyler was born on December 1st, 1988.

Popularity:

Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph was a famed somebody. He holds the title Foster-father ofJesus Christ, Prince, and Patron of the Universal Church. Saint was born in -90. He died in 20.

Popularity:

Lesley Joseph

Lesley Joseph is a presenter, actor, broadcaster, and actress. She has had major accomplishments since 1969. Lesley was given the name Lesley Diana Joseph on October 14th, 1945 in Hackney, London, England.

Popularity:

Mandakini

Mandakini is an actress. She was most active from 1985 to 1999. Mandakini was given the name Yasmeen Joseph on July 30th, 1963 in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India. Mandakini is also known as Mandakini Joseph Thakur.

Popularity:

Meera Jasmine

Meera Jasmine is an actress. She was most active from 2001 to present. Meera was given the name Jasmine Mary Joseph on February 15th, 1982 in Thiruvalla, Kerala, India.

Popularity: