Boy Hebrew 2 syllables

Joseph

JOH-suf /ˈdʒoʊzəf/

"God will add" — a name of providential blessing, dream-interpretation, and remarkable resilience

Joseph comes from the Hebrew Yosef meaning 'God will add' — an expression of faith that God will continue to bless and provide. The biblical Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers, rose to become the second most powerful man in Egypt through divine providence and his ability to interpret dreams. His story is one of the Bible's most dramatic: betrayal, imprisonment, and ultimate triumph. Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus, adds another layer of quiet, faithful strength. The name has been ceaselessly used across all cultures.

Quick Facts

Letters6

SyllablesJo-seph

GenderBoy

OriginHebrew

Root WordYosef

MeaningGod will add; He shall add

PopularityVery Popular

Peak Year1917

Trend → Stable

Name DayMarch 19

Nicknames JoeJoeyJo

About the Name Joseph

Joseph means 'God will add' or 'He shall add' from the Hebrew Yosef — a declaration of faith in God's continued blessing.

Yes — Joseph/Yusuf is beloved in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It's one of the most universally used names in the world.

Joe and Joey are the most popular — warm, friendly, and universally recognized.

Joseph James, Joseph Alexander, Joseph Thomas, and Joseph William are all classic, strong combinations.

Joseph has been in the US top-25 for virtually all of American recorded history and shows no sign of fading.

Personality of Joseph

Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Joseph

creativity 78%

independence 80%

integrity 90%

intelligence 85%

strength 88%

warmth 88%

Famous People Named Joseph

Joseph (Genesis)

Favored son of Jacob who was sold into slavery and became Egypt's viceroy

Saint Joseph

Earthly father of Jesus in Christian tradition, patron of workers and fathers

Joseph Biden

46th US President

Middle Names for Joseph

Beautiful combinations that flow well with Joseph

Joseph James Joseph Alexander Joseph William Joseph Thomas Joseph Michael Joseph David Joseph Andrew Joseph Henry Joseph Patrick Joseph Robert

Names Similar to Joseph

Similar Sound

Joshua Jesse Joel

Similar Meaning

Benjamin Asher Gideon Ezra Tobias

Sibling Name Ideas

Benjamin Samuel Elijah Ruth

History of Joseph

c. 1700 BCE

Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers; rises to become viceroy of Egypt through divine providence

1st century CE

Saint Joseph, earthly father of Jesus, becomes patron of workers and family life

Medieval era

Joseph deeply popular across Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities worldwide

1970

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat premieres, bringing the biblical story to new audiences

Today

Joseph remains a consistent US top-25 name, beloved across all generations and cultures

Numerology & Symbolism of Joseph

Destiny Number

Sum of all letters

Soul Urge

Sum of vowels

♍

Zodiac Affinity

Pisces

Lucky Number

Personal power digit

🎨

Lucky Color

Technicolor (multicolored)

💎

Lucky Stone

Opal

🌸

Lucky Flower

Daffodil

Joseph Around the World

How Joseph is written in different languages and scripts

يوسف

Arabic

ジョセフ

Japanese

Иосиф

Russian

조셉

Korean

约瑟夫

Chinese

Ιωσήφ

Greek

जोसेफ

Hindi

יוֹסֵף

Hebrew

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