Yusef

Yusef - A very unique male name

Yusef appeared on the charts for the first time in 1964 on position #1567. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Yusef and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Yusef? 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 Yusef. The baby boy name Yusef was given to 49 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1729 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 29,924 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Yusef peaked in popularity 54 years ago in 1972 on position 962.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Yusef, 1-5?

Yusef is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Yusef is currently topping the baby name charts in Michigan at position #900 - and is the least popular in Florida at position #2,096.

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 Yusef is where you live.

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Yusef origin and meaning

Arabic form of Joseph

A transliteration variant of Arabic Yusuf, the Arabic form of Joseph, from Hebrew Yosef, 'God will increase'

Yusef is one of several English transliterations of Yusuf, the name of Joseph in the Quran, where he is a prophet with a whole chapter named for him. It has been used in American Muslim and African-American families since the 1960s. This spelling is currently rising modestly from its 2007 peak levels.

Attested etymology

Yusef is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Yusef

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

Yusuf / Yosef / Yousef / Yaakov / Yakov / Youssef / 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 Yusef

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 Yusef 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 Yusef?

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

YOO-sef · /ˈjuːsɛf/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Yusuf — The most common transliteration
• Yousef — Another common transliteration
• Joseph — The English form of the same name, a separate established name

Famous bearers

• Yusef Komunyakaa — American poet who won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry; born James Brown and adopted the name Yusef Komunyakaa, by which he is universally known (b. 1941) Contemporary
• Yusef Lateef — American jazz musician and composer; born William Huddleston and known throughout his career as Yusef Lateef (1920–2013) Contemporary

Style

InternationalBiblical

Why parents choose it

A dignified, cross-cultural form of Joseph with deep roots in both the Bible and the Quran.

Worth knowing

• Transliteration splits — Yusuf, Yousef, Youssef — mean constant spelling corrections.