Joseph
Joseph sits comfortably in the UK charts at #59 in 2025 — recognisable but not overwhelming. Your child may occasionally share their name.
Hebrew — God will add/increase
About the Name Joseph
Joseph ranked #59 in 2025, down from its peak of #7 in 2000 — still a familiar name, but past its high point. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 30 of the last 30 years inside the UK top 100 — a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.
Etymologically, Joseph comes from Hebrew, where it means "God will add/increase". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.
Joseph is a very popular name in the UK — yet a class of 28 is small enough that your child will very likely be the only Joseph on the register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #32, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
⭐ Famous People Named Joseph
- Joseph Aoun — Joseph Khalil Aoun is a Lebanese politician and former army general who has served as the 14th president of Lebanon since 2025.
- Joseph Boakai — Joseph Nyuma Boakai is a Liberian politician who has served as the 26th president of Liberia since 2024.
- Joseph Goebbels — Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and philologist who was the Gauleiter (district leader) of Berlin, chief propagandist for the Nazi Party, and then Reich Minister of Propaganda from 1933 until his suicide in 1945.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Joseph
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Joseph
Almost certainly the only Joseph in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Joseph
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Check another name
Enter any baby name to get UK and US popularity data, classroom predictions and trend charts.
🔮 Try the Name Checker 📚 Browse All NamesAbout the Name Joseph
Famous People Named Joseph
Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia