The first name Joel
A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “yahweh (is) god”.
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒoʊ(ə)l/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Joel means “yahweh (is) god” in Hebrew.
From Hebrew יוֹאֵל (yo'él, “Yahweh (is) God”). As a medieval French and English given name, it is also from Breton Judicaël (related to Joyce and Jocelyn). Cf. Elijah.
More names that mean god.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 223 boys were named Joel, making it the 223rd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2005, with 978 births (#69).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Joel with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Joel at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,633 boys born in the United States were named Joel, the 219th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1985, when 4,623 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Joel in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Joel in Czech, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog and Welsh too.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Joel
197 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Haley Joel OsmentAmerican actor, born 1988
- Joel SchumacherAmerican director, screenwriter, and producer (1939–2020)
- JoelBiblical prophet associated with the Book of Joel, -1–-700
- Joël MatipCameroonian-German association football player (born 1991)
- Joel McHaleAmerican actor and comedian, born 1971
- Joel CampbellCosta Rican footballer, born 1992
- Joel GreyAmerican actor, singer, dancer, director, and photographer (born 1932)
- Joel GriffithsAustralian association football player, born 1979
- Joël VeltmanDutch association football player (born 1992)
- Joel MokyrAmerican-Israeli economic historian, born 1946
- Joel EdgertonAustralian actor, born 1974
- Joel PohjanpaloFinnish footballer, born 1994
More Hebrew boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Joel mean?
- Joel means “yahweh (is) god” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name Joel?
- From Hebrew יוֹאֵל (yo'él, “Yahweh (is) God”). As a medieval French and English given name, it is also from Breton Judicaël (related to Joyce and Jocelyn). Cf. Elijah.
- How popular is the name Joel?
- In 2025, 223 boys born in England and Wales were named Joel, ranking 223rd. Its peak was 2005, with 978 births.
- Is Joel a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 282,250 US babies named Joel since 1880 were boys.
- When was Joel most popular?
- 1985 in the United States, when 4,623 babies were named Joel, its highest rank at 67th.
- How do you pronounce Joel?
- Joel is /ˈd͡ʒoʊ(ə)l/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Joel?
- Yoel.
- Is Joel also a surname?
- Yes. Joel is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.