Find out how popular the first name Yosef has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Yosef by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Yosef is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 444 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Yosef.

The history of the first name Yosef

The name Yosef is derived from the Hebrew language and has its origins in ancient Middle Eastern cultures. It is the Hebrew form of the name Joseph, which means "he will add" or "he will increase" in Hebrew. The name has its roots in the biblical story of Joseph, the son of Jacob and Rachel, whose story is recounted in the Book of Genesis.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yosef can be found in the Hebrew Bible, where Joseph is a prominent figure. He is portrayed as a dreamer and interpreter of dreams, who rises to become a powerful vizier in Egypt after being sold into slavery by his brothers. The name Yosef gained widespread popularity among the Jewish people due to its association with this biblical figure.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Yosef. One of the earliest was Yosef ben Matityahu, better known as Flavius Josephus (37-100 CE), a Jewish historian who wrote extensively about the Jewish-Roman wars and the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Yosef Rabi'ah (1035-1081 CE), a Spanish-Jewish philosopher and poet who contributed significantly to the development of Jewish thought during the Golden Age of Jewish culture in Spain.

In more recent times, Yosef Haim Brenner (1881-1921) was a notable Hebrew writer and pioneer of modern Hebrew literature, known for his short stories and novels depicting life in Jewish settlements in Palestine.

Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik (1903-1993), also known as "The Rav," was a renowned Orthodox Jewish rabbi, philosopher, and Talmudic scholar who had a profound influence on the modern Orthodox Jewish movement in America.

Yosef Shalom Eliashiv (1910-2012) was a highly revered Haredi rabbi and posek (religious authority on Jewish law) in Israel, who was widely respected for his vast knowledge of Jewish law and his moral leadership.

The name Yosef has a rich history and cultural significance, particularly within the Jewish tradition. Its biblical origins and association with significant historical figures have contributed to its enduring popularity as a given name throughout the centuries.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Yosef was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Yosef, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!