Joseph

“God will add” — Hebrew origin

Boy's name · #29 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Joseph has appeared in US records since 1880 — best rank #5 (1912) · 2,669,490 babies named Joseph all-time · 1 in 230 boys born in 2025.

Around the world: #33 in Australia (NSW) (2025) · #54 in N. Ireland (2025) · #56 in Australia (QLD) (2025) · #59 in Canada (2024) · #60 in England & Wales (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 51 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Josephs

Joseph Stalin — leader of the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1953
Joseph Haydn — Austrian composer (1732–1809)
Joseph Fourier — French mathematician and physicist (1768 – 1830)
Joseph Conrad — Polish-British writer (1857–1924)
Joseph Brodsky — Russian-American poet (1940-1996)

In stories & tradition

Joseph — Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
Joseph of Arimathea — Gospel of Luke · Gospel of Matthew
Joseph (Lex Luthor) — Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice · Superman

What Josephs become

Among 19,787 notable people named Joseph:

Lawyers & judges appear 2.08× more often than among typical names — e.g. Joseph de Maistre, Savoyard philosopher, writer, lawyer, and diplomat (1753-1821).

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.