Joseph is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Joseph means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Joseph across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Joseph has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Joseph is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “he will add”. borne by figures in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 2,680,213 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 101,763 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 7,497 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 2,226 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 19,547 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 10,528 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Joseph per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1956 (32,832/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (6,193/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1964 (737/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1984 (190/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2007 (101/yr).
Joseph has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1956, when it ranked #19 nationally (given to 32,832 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Joesph · Josefa · Josef · Joeseph · Josepha · Josph · Jozef · Jozefa
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