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Why parents love Joseph- Joseph's rags-to-riches story is one of the Bible's most dramatic.
- Saint Joseph is Jesus's earthly father — enormous spiritual weight.
- Two syllables with a warm, solid sound: JO-sef.
- Joe is America's most everyman nickname.
- It's been in the top 20 for almost the entire history of recorded naming.
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The vibe of Joseph
dreamerEgyptrags-to-richescarpenterJoehumbleambitiousbiblical
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Origin & history of Joseph
Hebrew יוֹסֵף (Yosef, he will add)
→ English Joseph
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Hebrew roots
Joseph comes from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning he will add. In Genesis, Joseph is Jacob's favourite son who is sold into slavery by his brothers, rises to become viceroy of Egypt, and ultimately saves his family from famine. Saint Joseph was the carpenter husband of Mary and earthly father of Jesus. Joseph Stalin and Joseph McCarthy represent the name's darker bearers. Joe Biden is the 46th President. The name has been in the US top 20 for almost every year since 1880.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Biblical — Genesis 37-50 (Joseph the dreamer); the Gospels (Saint Joseph, Jesus's father).
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Today
Joseph remains a beloved choice, ranking #25 in the US. 2,672,746 babies have been named Joseph since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, Genesis 37-50, SSA data
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How popular is Joseph?
1956
peak year
Today, Joseph is a familiar choice on U.S. birth certificates, ranking in the top fifty (#25) with about 9,089 babies named Joseph each year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 1956, 32,748 babies were given the name (ranked #12 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 1980s. Joseph has been declining in recent years. In all, around 2,672,746 babies have been registered as Joseph since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations
1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
32,748
Babies named in peak year
(ranked #12)
(ranked #12)
9,089
Avg. per year
(last decade)
(last decade)
90,890
Total registrations
last 10 years
last 10 years
2,672,746
All-time total
(since 1880)
(since 1880)
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Numerology of Joseph1
Life path number
The Leader
Leadership, independence and pioneering spirit.
Joseph's Life Path 3 is the communicator's number — the dreamer who communicated God's plans. People named Joseph tend to be resilient, forgiving, and gifted at turning adversity into abundance.
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Turns adversity into abundance✦
Resilient dreamer◈
Forgives the unforgivable◎
Humble ambition♡
He will addJ1
O6
S1
E5
P7
H8
Sum: 28 → Life path 1
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Personality of Joseph🌟
Independent & bold
These individuals chart their own course. They lead, they don't follow.
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Ambitious drive
Quiet determination sits behind everything they do.
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Original ideas
Their minds work differently — seeing angles others walk past.
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Natural authority
Without trying, they earn respect.
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Famous people named JosephClick any name to view their Wikipedia page.
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If you like Joseph, you may also love◎
Names that sound like JosephIf you love Joseph, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.
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Names that combine with JosephSibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Joseph.
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Middle names for JosephThe right middle name turns Joseph into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.
Want a personalised middle name for Joseph? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.
♡ Generate middle name for Joseph →✦
Numerology life path calculatorEnter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.
First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number
How we calculated this
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