Joseph
Boy name · #29 in 2025 · Very well-known
Joseph is currently the #29 boy name in the United States — 7,303 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #21, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 246 boys born in 2025 was named Joseph.
The 145-year story
Joseph first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 2,632 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1956, when 32,749 boys were named Joseph — good for #12 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Joseph per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Joseph against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Joseph in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Joseph is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Joseph is most common
Geography matters for names, and Joseph is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Joseph is most common in NJ (9.4 per 1,000), CT (9.4 per 1,000), AK (9.2 per 1,000), DE (8.8 per 1,000), NH (8.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Joseph is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Joseph
Joseph carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Joseph family went to about 7,807 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #25, versus #29 for Joseph alone.
Names like Joseph
Statistically, parents drawn to Joseph tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Thomas, David, Michael, John, and Charles.
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Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Joseph | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7,303 | #29 |
| 2024 | 7,261 | #32 |
| 2023 | 7,279 | #29 |
| 2022 | 7,839 | #30 |
| 2021 | 8,166 | #28 |
| 2020 | 8,486 | #26 |
| 2019 | 9,179 | #24 |
| 2018 | 9,682 | #23 |
| 2017 | 10,488 | #18 |
| 2016 | 10,969 | #20 |
| 2015 | 11,531 | #21 |
| 2014 | 12,155 | #20 |
| 2013 | 12,278 | #20 |
| 2012 | 12,594 | #19 |
| 2011 | 12,995 | #22 |
| 2010 | 13,851 | #20 |
| 2009 | 14,952 | #15 |
| 2008 | 16,599 | #13 |
| 2007 | 17,364 | #13 |
| 2006 | 18,471 | #11 |
| 2005 | 19,241 | #9 |
| 2004 | 20,147 | #9 |
| 2003 | 21,394 | #6 |
| 2002 | 21,920 | #7 |
| 2001 | 22,030 | #8 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Joseph a popular boy name?
Joseph ranked #29 among boys in 2025 with 7,303 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #21.
When was the name Joseph most popular?
Joseph peaked in 1956, when 32,749 American boys received the name (ranked #12 that year). Since 1956 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Joseph?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 246 newborn American boys was named Joseph. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.