Meaning, origin, history
Joseph is a masculine name of Hebrew origin, meaning "God will add/God increases". It is derived from the Hebrew name Yosef, which was borne by several characters in the Bible. The most famous of these is Joseph, the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus according to Christian tradition.
The name Joseph has been popular throughout history and across different cultures. In ancient Egypt, for example, it was a common name among pharaohs and nobles. In the Middle Ages, it was widely used in Europe due to its biblical associations. Today, Joseph remains a popular choice for boys' names around the world.
Some notable people named Joseph include:
* Saint Joseph (died 1st century AD), the foster father of Jesus
* Joseph Smith (1805-1844), the founder of Mormonism
* Joe DiMaggio (1914-1999), an American baseball player
* Joseph Heller (1923-1999), an American novelist best known for his novel "Catch-22"
* Joe Biden (born 1942), the current President of the United States
In numbers
Popularity of the name Joesph since 1880
Total births
15,622
Total since 1880
Peak year
1957
321 births
in 2023
17
Recent births (5 years)
5-year trend
-27%
↘
vs previous 5 years