Joseph is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin that means "he will add" or "God shall increase." It is derived from the Semitic element yosep, which means "to increase" or "add to." In the Bible, Joseph was the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. He also played a significant role in the Old Testament as the son of Jacob and the favorite brother of Benjamin. Throughout history, Joseph has been a popular name among many cultures, including Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and European ones. Some notable individuals with the name Joseph include Saint Joseph (the husband of Mary), Joseph Bonaparte (the brother of Napoleon Bonaparte), and Joseph Smith (the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement). The name Joseph has also inspired various forms and derivatives, such as Jose, José, Giuseppe, Josef, Josip, Yosef, and Yusuf.
The name Joseph has had a varying popularity over the years in the United States, with a total of 1518 births recorded between 1912 and 2023.
During the early to mid-20th century, the name's popularity fluctuated significantly. It started with just 6 births each in 1912 and 1913, but rose to a peak of 7 births in 1914. After this initial spike, the number of newborns named Joseph decreased and remained relatively low until the late 1960s.
The name's popularity began to rise again around the mid-1960s, with 10 births recorded in 1965. This upward trend continued through the following decades, reaching its peak in 1982 with a total of 62 newborns named Joseph.
However, after this peak, the popularity of the name Joseph began to decline once more. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, the number of babies named Joseph had fallen significantly, reaching its lowest point in recent years with just 5 births recorded in 2020.
Despite this recent decrease in popularity, the name Joseph remains a classic choice among American parents. With a total of 1518 births recorded over the course of more than a century, it is clear that Joseph has been and continues to be a beloved and enduring name for boys in the United States.