Mostly boys
Anthony
Latin
“Uncertain; from the Roman family name Antonius”
Mostly boys · Hebrew
Joseph
“Jehovah increases”
Say it JO-sefPronunciation may vary by region.
See your shortlist ↗
A little maybe, saved for later.
The story behind the name
Meet Joseph.
Joseph comes from Hebrew Yosef and is traditionally interpreted as God will increase or he will add. Important biblical bearers include Joseph in Genesis and Joseph, the husband of Mary, in the New Testament.
Joe provides a familiar one-syllable short form. For parents considering a family honor name, Joseph keeps the formal spelling while leaving space for an informal everyday version.
6 lettersHebrew origins ↗
A little perspective
How popular is Joseph?
Girls · 2025#8,59112 recorded births
Boys · 2025#297,303 recorded births
Recorded US births over time
● Girls● Boys
View the numbers behind the chart
| Year | Category | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 29 | 7,303 |
| 2025 | Girls | 8,591 | 12 |
| 2024 | Boys | 32 | 7,261 |
| 2024 | Girls | 16,373 | 5 |
| 2023 | Boys | 29 | 7,279 |
| 2023 | Girls | 8,707 | 12 |
| 2022 | Boys | 30 | 7,839 |
| 2022 | Girls | 10,764 | 9 |
| 2021 | Boys | 28 | 8,166 |
| 2021 | Girls | 11,594 | 8 |
| 2020 | Boys | 26 | 8,486 |
| 2020 | Girls | 10,659 | 9 |
| 2019 | Boys | 24 | 9,179 |
| 2019 | Girls | 7,169 | 16 |
| 2018 | Boys | 23 | 9,682 |
| 2018 | Girls | 7,558 | 15 |
| 2017 | Boys | 18 | 10,488 |
| 2017 | Girls | 6,397 | 19 |
| 2016 | Boys | 20 | 10,969 |
| 2016 | Girls | 8,611 | 13 |
| 2015 | Boys | 21 | 11,531 |
| 2015 | Girls | 9,203 | 12 |
| 2014 | Boys | 20 | 12,155 |
| 2014 | Girls | 15,505 | 6 |
Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.
A few ways to make it theirs.
Nicknames
JoeJoey
Variations & related forms
JosefJozef
Keep the possibilities coming
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