UK boy's name
Joseff
Masculine name derived from the Hebrew Joseph, meaning "he will add".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Joseff is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Joseff popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3449, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 20 births.
This profile covers 338 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 to 2022. 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 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 335 living people in the UK are called Joseff. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Joseff ranked #3449 for boys in England and Wales in 2022, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 20 boys were registered as Joseff.
- • About 335 living people in the UK are estimated to have Joseff as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3449
2022
Births in 2022
5
Latest year
Peak year
2005
20 births
Estimated living
335
2026
Meaning
What does Joseff mean?
The name Joseff derives from the Hebrew name Yosef, meaning "he will add" or "he will increase." The name has its roots in ancient Israelite culture, and its earliest recorded usage dates back to the Bible's Book of Genesis, where Yosef (Joseph) is one of the twelve sons of Jacob.
The name Joseff is a variant spelling that emerged later, particularly in parts of Europe. One of the earliest recorded instances of this spelling can be found in medieval German records from the 12th century, where it was used as a given name among Jewish communities.
Throughout history, the name Joseff has been borne by many notable individuals. One of the earliest was Joseff ben Gorion, a Jewish historian from the 9th century who wrote a comprehensive history of the Jewish people. Another early figure was Joseff Hayyim ben Elijah, a prominent rabbi and scholar of the 15th century, known for his work on Jewish law and ethics.
In the realm of literature, Joseff von Eichendorff was a renowned German Romantic poet and novelist who lived from 1788 to 1857. His works, such as "Aus dem Leben eines Taugenichts" (From the Life of a Good-for-Nothing), are considered classics of German literature.
Moving into the 20th century, Joseff Svozil was an Austrian painter and engraver born in 1873, known for his landscapes and still-life works. In the field of music, Joseff Hofmann was a celebrated Polish-American pianist and composer who lived from 1876 to 1957, renowned for his virtuosic performances and recordings.
Additionally, Joseff Goebbels, born in 1897, was a prominent figure in Nazi Germany, serving as the Reich Minister of Propaganda during Adolf Hitler's regime. His role in shaping and disseminating Nazi propaganda has made him a controversial and widely studied historical figure.
Over the centuries, the name Joseff has been carried by individuals from various backgrounds, cultures, and professions, each leaving their mark on history in their own unique way.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Joseff over time
The chart below shows babies named Joseff registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Joseff, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2022, compared with 20 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Joseff by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Joseff 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3640 | 15 | 3 |
| 2010s | #2167 | 108 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1195 | 162 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1054 | 53 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Joseff
- 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
Joseff: questions and answers
How popular is the name Joseff in the UK right now?
In 2022, Joseff was ranked #3449 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Joseff most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 20 babies registered as Joseff in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Joseff?
Masculine name derived from the Hebrew Joseph, meaning "he will add".
How many people are called Joseff in the UK?
A total of 338 babies have been registered as Joseff across the 27 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.