UK boy's name
Joesph
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Joesph is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Joesph popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3830, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 5 births.
This profile covers 12 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 1996 to 2011. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 12 living people in the UK are called Joesph. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2012 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Joesph ranked #3830 for boys in England and Wales in 2011, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 5 boys were registered as Joesph.
- • About 12 living people in the UK are estimated to have Joesph as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3830
2011
Births in 2011
4
Latest year
Peak year
1996
5 births
Estimated living
12
2026
Meaning
What does Joesph mean?
The name Joesph is derived from the Hebrew name Yosef, which means "he will add" or "he will increase". It has its origins in ancient Hebrew culture, dating back to the biblical times of the Old Testament.
The earliest recorded use of the name Joesph can be found in the Book of Genesis, where it refers to the son of Jacob and Rachel. Joseph, as he is known in English, played a pivotal role in the biblical narrative, becoming a prominent figure in ancient Egypt.
One of the most famous Josephs in history was Joseph, the husband of Mary and the stepfather of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. His life and role in the nativity story have made him a revered figure in Christianity.
During the Middle Ages, the name Joesph gained popularity across Europe, particularly in regions with strong Christian traditions. Notable historical figures bearing this name include Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus mentioned in the Gospels, and Joseph of Cupertino, a 17th-century Italian saint known for his mystical levitations.
In the realm of literature, Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), the Polish-British novelist famous for works like "Heart of Darkness" and "Lord Jim", was a prominent bearer of the name. Another literary figure was Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996), a Russian-American poet and essayist who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1987.
The name Joesph has also been associated with political and military leaders throughout history. Joseph Stalin (1878-1953), the notorious Soviet dictator, and Joseph Bonaparte (1768-1844), the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte and the former King of Naples and Spain, are two notable examples.
Other famous Josephs include Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), the English chemist and philosopher credited with the discovery of oxygen, and Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), the renowned Austrian composer of the Classical period.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Joesph over time
The chart below shows babies named Joesph registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Joesph, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2011, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Joesph by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Joesph was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4254 | 7 | 2 |
| 1990s | #2020 | 5 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Joesph
- Jack 188,738
- Joshua 145,192
- James 141,878
- Joseph 102,259
- Jacob 93,754
- Jake 66,896
- Jamie 41,243
- Jordan 36,750
- Jayden 28,921
- Jude 24,156
- John 22,240
- Joe 19,164
FAQ
Joesph: questions and answers
How popular is the name Joesph in the UK right now?
In 2011, Joesph was ranked #3830 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Joesph most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 5 babies registered as Joesph in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Joesph?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
How many people are called Joesph in the UK?
A total of 12 babies have been registered as Joesph across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.