Rising since 1985, #663 for boys today.
Popularity of Yosef since 1951
Babies named Yosef per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 72 |
| 1960s | 91 |
| 1970s | 351 |
| 1980s | 707 |
| 1990s | 1,148 |
| 2000s | 2,194 |
| 2010s | 3,502 |
| 2020s | 2,547 |
Meaning & origin
Yosef is the Hebrew original of Joseph, a biblical name that has been in continuous use for thousands of years. In the U.S., the name first appeared in Social Security records in 1951 and has climbed steadily from obscurity to its current rank of 663 in 2024. Its trajectory shows a consistent rise since 1985, and it reached its highest rank ever in 2024. The name is most common in New Jersey, New York, and Maryland, reflecting concentrations of Jewish American communities. At a rate of 1 in 4,136 births, Yosef remains a distinctive but accessible choice, balancing deep religious heritage with modern cross-cultural appeal.
Yosef is the Hebrew original of Joseph, derived from the root y-s-f meaning 'to add, to increase.' In the Hebrew Bible, Yosef is the favored son of Jacob and Rachel, whose story of being sold into slavery and rising to power in Egypt is central to the Book of Genesis. The name has been consistently used among Jewish communities for millennia, and variants appear across many languages.
Where Yosef is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Yosef” around the world
Where Yosef lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
Quebec
13
babies in 2025
Sources: Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Yossi, Yos, Joe
Sibling names for Yosef
Names that share Yosef's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Miriam, Chava, Sarah, Rivka, Leah, Malka, Bracha, Nechama, Rochel, Tova, Tzipora, Yehudis, Batya, Bayla, Brocha, Menucha, Pessy, Rifky, Ruchel, Tziporah, Tzipporah, Tzivia, Malkia, Tzippy, Yovanna, Ytzel, Adinah, Bassheva, Devory, Dvora, Hadasha, Margalit, Yaret
Brothers: Moshe, Avraham, Yitzhak, Yaakov, David, Chaim, Dov, Dovid, Herschel, Menachem, Shmuel, Tzvi, Yitzchok, Aryeh, Avrohom, Binyomin, Efraim, Eliyahu, Gavriel, Mendy, Shlomo, Arye, Benzion, Betzalel, Leib, Menashe, Shneur, Shraga, Yecheskel, Yehudah, Yeshaya, Dovber, Gedalya, Kalman, Michoel, Nachum, Refael, Reuven, Schneur, Yerachmiel, Yosgart, Chayim, Naftula, Peretz, Rubel, Shloima, Yader, Yeremy, Yojan, Yorel, Yosmar
Names like Yosef
Names whose popularity has moved with Yosef's over the last 50 years.
