heyotag

Name meaning & stats

Joseph

Joseph means “(God) shall add” (Hebrew origin). 1,982,710 US babies since 1940, peak 1956. Notable Josephs are 1.6× over-represented as professors.

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What it means

“(God) shall add”

HebrewWell documented

Name of a son of Jacob.

In US birth records

Peak year: 1956

40s50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s

1,982,710 US babies were named Joseph between 1940 and 2025.

Where Josephs end up

Careervs expectedConfidence
Politician1.4×High · 265 people
Professor1.6×High · 178 people
Actor1.0×High · 149 people
Basketball player0.9×High · 117 people

Among notable men who are professors, Josephs show up 1.6× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.

Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.

One more thing…

Joseph has a surprise career: 2.3×

Reveal it in Joseph's story

Spelling family

Joseph is the main spelling

  • Joseph 99%
  • Josef <1%
  • Jozef <1%
  • Josph <1%
  • Jozsef <1%
  • Jozeph <1%
  • Joseff <1%

Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.

Name twins (peaked around 1956)