Yosef

Yosef - A very unique male name

Yosef appeared on the charts for the first time in 1953 on position #1391. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Yosef and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Yosef? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Yosef. The baby boy name Yosef was given to 376 baby boys in 2025, ranking #661 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 3,900 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Yosef peaked in popularity 2 years ago in 2024 on position 601.

Famous with this name

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Yosef is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Yosef is currently topping the baby name charts in New Jersey at position #77 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,562.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Yosef is where you live.

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Yosef origin and meaning

Hebrew

The Hebrew form of Joseph: Yosef, 'He (God) will add'

Yosef is Joseph in its original Hebrew form, used steadily in Jewish families and present in the US data since 1953. It is currently at its highest level yet, peaking in 2024.

Attested etymology

Yosef is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Yosef, pop culture references for the name Yosef and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Yosef

We've found the following names that sound similar to Yosef, sorted by popularity.

Yusuf / Yousef / Yaakov / Yakov / Youssef / Yusef / Yousuf / Yousif / Yoseph / Yaqub /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Yosef

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Yosef a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Yosef?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

YOH-sef · /ˈjoʊsɛf/
English-speaking families split between YOH-sef and yoh-SEF.

Around the world

• Yusuf (Arabic) — The Arabic form of the same patriarch's name
• Joseph (English) — The familiar English form of Yosef

Spellings and nicknames

• Youssef — French-influenced transliteration variant

Nicknames: Yossi

Famous bearers

• Yosef Karo — Rabbi and author of the Shulchan Aruch, the standard code of Jewish law (1488–1575) Historical

Style

BiblicalInternational

Why parents choose it

Yosef is chosen by families who want the patriarch's name in its authentic Hebrew form rather than the Anglicised Joseph.

Worth knowing

• English speakers may default to Joseph or misread the first syllable