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Josef

Josef: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“he will add”
Origin
Hebrew
Say it
YOH-zef · 2 syllables
Used for
Boys

Form of Joseph used in several European languages, especially German, Czech, and Scandinavian contexts. From Hebrew Yosef, traditionally understood as 'he will add'.

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How popular is Josef?

202418.6 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Josef in 202462

2024 rank#2,280 boys

Peak year1999

Total US babies since 18809,112

Josef is fading: recent use is about 60% of its level ten years before.

Names like Josef

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • Noahrest; comfort · Hebrew
  • Jamessupplanter · Hebrew
  • Elijahmy God is Yahweh · Hebrew
  • JohnYahweh is gracious · Hebrew
  • Michaelwho is like God? · Hebrew
  • Benjaminson of the right hand · Hebrew
  • Levijoined, attached · Hebrew
  • DanielGod is my judge · Hebrew

Josef questions

What does the name Josef mean?

Josef means "he will add". It comes from Hebrew. Form of Joseph used in several European languages, especially German, Czech, and Scandinavian contexts. From Hebrew Yosef, traditionally understood as 'he will add'.

Is Josef a boy or girl name?

Josef is mainly a boy's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Josef?

62 US babies were named Josef in 2024. Its peak year was 1999.

How do you pronounce Josef?

Josef is usually pronounced YOH-zef.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.