Josef is a distinctive choice, ranked #2444 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Josef in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#2444
About the Name Josef
Josef has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 721 places in five years. It was most popular in 1999 at #283 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Josef is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Josef
Unlikely. With around 9 UK babies named Josef per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Josef in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Josef has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 721 places in the last five years. Its peak was #283 in 1999. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Josef is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Josef include: Josef Jandač — Josef Jandač is a Czech ice hockey former coach of the Czech national team.; Josef Kajetán Tyl — Josef Kajetán Tyl was a Czech dramatist, writer and actor..
Josef does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Josefs in the wild.
9
UK babies named Josef (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
< 1
In a school of 600
↓ 721 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Josef
Likely around 1 other Josef in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Josef
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Josef Stürmann was a Munich philosopher who had studied with the phenomenologist Alexander Pfänder. Stürmann was also a member of the Christian Social Union of Bavaria.
Josef Hoffmann was an Austrian-Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte.
Josef Kajetán Tyl was a Czech dramatist, writer and actor. He was a notable figure in the Czech National Revival movement and is best known as the author of the current national anthem of the Czech Republic titled Kde domov můj?.