The first name Yosef
A boy’s name from Hebrew.
2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Borrowed from Hebrew יוֹסֵף (yoséf), equivalent to Joseph.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 29 boys were named Yosef, making it the 1,035th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2013, with 32 births (#910).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Yosef with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Yosef at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 413 boys born in the United States were named Yosef, the 665th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2024, when 470 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.
Famous people named Yosef
5 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Yosef TunkelBelarusian-American Yiddish-language poet and satirist, 1881–1949
- Yosef Dov SoloveitchikBelarusian rabbi (1820–1892)
- Yosef Ben-JochannanAmerican historian and writer (1918-2015)
- Joseph B. SoloveitchikAmerican rabbi and theologian (1903–1993)
- Joseph HertzBritish rabbi and biblical scholar, Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom (1872-1946)
More Hebrew boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Yosef mean?
- Borrowed from Hebrew יוֹסֵף (yoséf), equivalent to Joseph.
- What is the origin of the name Yosef?
- Borrowed from Hebrew יוֹסֵף (yoséf), equivalent to Joseph.
- How popular is the name Yosef?
- In 2025, 29 boys born in England and Wales were named Yosef, ranking 1,035th. Its peak was 2013, with 32 births.
- Is Yosef a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 10,612 US babies named Yosef since 1880 were boys.
- When was Yosef most popular?
- 2024 in the United States, when 470 babies were named Yosef, its highest rank at 606th.