Meaning not yet researched.
Joseph: US boys given the name each year, 1880 to 2025, from Social Security card applications. 7,303 in 2025. Its best rank was #5 in 1917.
US births per year · SSA card applications
Peaked at #5 in 1917; #29 in 2025. About 99.8% of babies named Joseph in 2025 were boys.
Baby name · US data 1880–2025
#29 for US boys in 2025. Its best year was 1917, at #5.
Hover, tap or use the arrow keys for any year. Years with fewer than five babies of a sex are not published by SSA and show as zero.
Joseph: US boys given the name each year from 1880 to 2025. 7,303 boys in 2025. Peak: #5 in 1917 · most boys in one year: 32,749 (1956).
In 2025, 7,303 US boys were named Joseph, making it the 29th most common boys’ name of the year, up 3 places from #32 in 2024. That is 42 more than the 7,261 boys named Joseph in 2024. Its best rank for boys was #5, reached in 1917. The most boys given the name in a single year was 32,749, in 1956. For comparison, it was #21 in 2015 and #13 in 1950.
Social Security card records list Joseph in every one of the 146 years from 1880 to 2025; in 1880 there were 2,642 babies with the name. In all, 2,680,213 US babies have been given the name, 0.4% of them girls and 99.5% boys. Its busiest decade was the 1980s, with 301,405 babies named Joseph.
Over the 10 years from 2016 to 2025, 86,652 US boys were named Joseph; the busiest of those years was 2016, with 10,969. In 2025 that was about 1 in 234 of the boys in SSA’s list for the year.
Among the states, Joseph ranked highest in New Jersey in 2025, at #5 for boys there. It was in the top 100 in 50 states (counting DC). Related spellings in the SSA files include Jose (596,732 babies since 1880), Joe (464,574 babies since 1880), Yosef (10,612 babies since 1880) and Josef (9,158 babies since 1880). Rarer spellings such as Joeseph, Jozef and Josep are summarised on this page. The open nickname list we use links it to Jody, Joe, Joey and Jos.
Meaning not yet researched.
We publish a meaning only with a cited source and a confidence label, and never generate one. Meanings are being researched for the most common names first.
Wikidata records this spelling as a given name in Dutch, English, French, German and Luxembourgish. That is where the name is used, not necessarily where it comes from.
Rare spellings summarised here: Joeseph (2,849), Jozef (1,201), Josep (155), Jozeph (112), Josip (109), Joseff (102), Jusuf (67), Iosif (49), Josephe (32), Josif (10).
Numbers are all-time US births. Links come from Wikidata’s “said to be the same as” (P460, CC0) and our spelling rule: at most two letters different, with the same sound pattern.
US boys. Rank within each state. SSA leaves out states where fewer than five boys got the name, so every state is listed.
| State | Births 2025 | Rank 2025 | Rank 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 374 | #5 | #6 |
| New York | 667 | #7 | #7 |
| Louisiana | 130 | #9 | #23 |
| Connecticut | 124 | #10 | #11 |
| Pennsylvania | 381 | #12 | #15 |
| Delaware | 26 | #20 | #18 |
| South Carolina | 125 | #20 | #18 |
| Alaska | 21 | #22 | #5 |
| New Mexico | 43 | #23 | #25 |
| New Hampshire | 38 | #24 | #22 |
| Illinois | 261 | #24 | #24 |
| Michigan | 213 | #24 | #22 |
| Georgia | 233 | #24 | #25 |
| Massachusetts | 166 | #25 | #16 |
| Ohio | 268 | #29 | #22 |
| Virginia | 193 | #30 | #27 |
| Alabama | 109 | #30 | #23 |
| Maryland | 120 | #30 | #28 |
| Florida | 462 | #31 | #31 |
| Kentucky | 114 | #31 | #22 |
| Rhode Island | 22 | #33 | #11 |
| Maine | 28 | #37 | #44 |
| North Carolina | 226 | #39 | #25 |
| Hawaii | 18 | #40 | #46 |
| Mississippi | 49 | #41 | #20 |
| Wisconsin | 107 | #42 | #29 |
| Missouri | 126 | #43 | #27 |
| Nevada | 53 | #43 | #22 |
| Tennessee | 148 | #45 | #28 |
| Texas | 669 | #45 | #28 |
| West Virginia | 31 | #46 | #33 |
| California | 721 | #46 | #22 |
| Indiana | 130 | #47 | #37 |
| Washington | 128 | #49 | #37 |
| Minnesota | 96 | #50 | #33 |
| Colorado | 112 | #50 | #41 |
| Iowa | 57 | #54 | #28 |
| Arizona | 120 | #55 | #22 |
| District of Columbia | 14 | #56 | #20 |
| Montana | 18 | #56 | #34 |
| South Dakota | 18 | #58 | #39 |
| Kansas | 55 | #58 | #38 |
| Wyoming | 8 | #59 | #44 |
| Nebraska | 37 | #62 | #20 |
| Oklahoma | 63 | #62 | #35 |
| North Dakota | 17 | #64 | #26 |
| Arkansas | 45 | #67 | #36 |
| Vermont | 7 | #74 | #35 |
| Idaho | 26 | #94 | #63 |
| Utah | 53 | #95 | #51 |
| Oregon | 33 | #123 | #40 |
Births and national rank for each year SSA lists the name, newest first.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #8,591 | 7,303 | #29 |
| 2024 | 5 | #16,373 | 7,261 | #32 |
| 2023 | 12 | #8,707 | 7,279 | #29 |
| 2022 | 9 | #10,764 | 7,839 | #30 |
| 2021 | 8 | #11,594 | 8,166 | #28 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,659 | 8,486 | #26 |
| 2019 | 16 | #7,169 | 9,179 | #24 |
| 2018 | 15 | #7,558 | 9,682 | #23 |
| 2017 | 19 | #6,397 | 10,488 | #18 |
| 2016 | 13 | #8,611 | 10,969 | #20 |
| 2015 | 12 | #9,203 | 11,531 | #21 |
| 2014 | 6 | #15,505 | 12,155 | #20 |
| 2013 | 20 | #6,353 | 12,278 | #20 |
| 2012 | 16 | #7,618 | 12,594 | #19 |
| 2011 | 23 | #5,828 | 12,995 | #22 |
| 2010 | 16 | #7,696 | 13,851 | #20 |
| 2009 | 20 | #6,675 | 14,952 | #15 |
| 2008 | 30 | #4,948 | 16,599 | #13 |
| 2007 | 28 | #5,163 | 17,364 | #13 |
| 2006 | 29 | #4,882 | 18,471 | #11 |
| 2005 | 36 | #3,992 | 19,241 | #9 |
| 2004 | 103 | #1,843 | 20,147 | #9 |
| 2003 | 31 | #4,255 | 21,394 | #6 |
| 2002 | 35 | #3,762 | 21,920 | #7 |
| 2001 | 27 | #4,502 | 22,030 | #8 |
| 2000 | 24 | #4,875 | 22,844 | #8 |
| 1999 | 44 | #3,020 | 23,220 | #8 |
| 1998 | 50 | #2,709 | 23,186 | #11 |
| 1997 | 45 | #2,749 | 23,604 | #12 |
| 1996 | 52 | #2,463 | 24,758 | #12 |
| 1995 | 62 | #2,168 | 25,354 | #12 |
| 1994 | 77 | #1,845 | 25,734 | #11 |
| 1993 | 67 | #2,054 | 27,014 | #12 |
| 1992 | 68 | #2,017 | 27,904 | #11 |
| 1991 | 88 | #1,685 | 29,840 | #9 |
| 1990 | 84 | #1,746 | 30,137 | #10 |
| 1989 | 139 | #1,180 | 29,884 | #11 |
| 1988 | 182 | #931 | 29,019 | #12 |
| 1987 | 217 | #808 | 28,516 | #12 |
| 1986 | 208 | #807 | 28,834 | #12 |
| 1985 | 227 | #755 | 30,222 | #10 |
| 1984 | 211 | #764 | 30,513 | #10 |
| 1983 | 211 | #763 | 30,442 | #11 |
| 1982 | 196 | #811 | 31,035 | #11 |
| 1981 | 186 | #841 | 30,761 | #11 |
| 1980 | 217 | #763 | 30,185 | #10 |
| 1979 | 209 | #770 | 28,654 | #11 |
| 1978 | 180 | #828 | 26,663 | #10 |
| 1977 | 176 | #845 | 26,483 | #10 |
| 1976 | 142 | #921 | 24,055 | #12 |
| 1975 | 132 | #955 | 22,125 | #12 |
| 1974 | 124 | #988 | 21,834 | #12 |
| 1973 | 134 | #922 | 21,326 | #12 |
| 1972 | 128 | #952 | 22,454 | #12 |
| 1971 | 148 | #898 | 24,517 | #15 |
| 1970 | 138 | #930 | 26,714 | #16 |
| 1969 | 154 | #835 | 26,173 | #15 |
| 1968 | 134 | #890 | 25,396 | #16 |
| 1967 | 122 | #932 | 25,926 | #15 |
| 1966 | 100 | #1,045 | 26,981 | #15 |
| 1965 | 120 | #926 | 28,630 | #11 |
| 1964 | 119 | #974 | 30,576 | #11 |
| 1963 | 137 | #895 | 30,077 | #13 |
| 1962 | 105 | #1,054 | 30,090 | #13 |
| 1961 | 112 | #1,033 | 29,450 | #12 |
| 1960 | 120 | #978 | 29,749 | #12 |
| 1959 | 92 | #1,117 | 29,539 | #13 |
| 1958 | 80 | #1,192 | 30,115 | #12 |
| 1957 | 93 | #1,087 | 31,851 | #12 |
| 1956 | 83 | #1,136 | 32,749 | #12 |
| 1955 | 84 | #1,096 | 31,589 | #13 |
| 1954 | 76 | #1,137 | 31,221 | #13 |
| 1953 | 61 | #1,243 | 29,269 | #13 |
| 1952 | 68 | #1,150 | 28,510 | #12 |
| 1951 | 52 | #1,297 | 28,147 | #14 |
| 1950 | 64 | #1,157 | 27,022 | #13 |
| 1949 | 56 | #1,213 | 26,408 | #14 |
| 1948 | 69 | #1,063 | 26,801 | #13 |
| 1947 | 68 | #1,080 | 27,520 | #14 |
| 1946 | 61 | #1,094 | 24,284 | #14 |
| 1945 | 58 | #1,019 | 20,823 | #14 |
| 1944 | 82 | #842 | 21,176 | #13 |
| 1943 | 65 | #989 | 22,828 | #13 |
| 1942 | 79 | #868 | 22,429 | #11 |
| 1941 | 66 | #908 | 19,808 | #12 |
| 1940 | 64 | #897 | 18,208 | #12 |
| 1939 | 60 | #910 | 17,722 | #12 |
| 1938 | 75 | #816 | 17,742 | #12 |
| 1937 | 61 | #886 | 17,322 | #12 |
| 1936 | 70 | #808 | 17,453 | #11 |
| 1935 | 76 | #776 | 17,181 | #10 |
| 1934 | 87 | #715 | 17,111 | #10 |
| 1933 | 100 | #658 | 17,162 | #9 |
| 1932 | 104 | #660 | 18,566 | #9 |
| 1931 | 112 | #627 | 19,326 | #9 |
| 1930 | 141 | #576 | 20,981 | #9 |
| 1929 | 159 | #540 | 21,165 | #9 |
| 1928 | 182 | #513 | 22,322 | #9 |
| 1927 | 167 | #548 | 23,503 | #9 |
| 1926 | 161 | #564 | 23,756 | #8 |
| 1925 | 132 | #638 | 24,613 | #7 |
| 1924 | 135 | #646 | 25,421 | #7 |
| 1923 | 106 | #709 | 25,561 | #7 |
| 1922 | 104 | #715 | 25,699 | #7 |
| 1921 | 120 | #676 | 26,182 | #7 |
| 1920 | 112 | #688 | 25,587 | #7 |
| 1919 | 89 | #749 | 24,266 | #7 |
| 1918 | 90 | #752 | 26,261 | #7 |
| 1917 | 94 | #718 | 24,761 | #5 |
| 1916 | 77 | #783 | 23,883 | #5 |
| 1915 | 69 | #793 | 23,051 | #5 |
| 1914 | 69 | #696 | 18,829 | #5 |
| 1913 | 38 | #860 | 14,471 | #5 |
| 1912 | 44 | #760 | 12,062 | #5 |
| 1911 | 28 | #820 | 6,488 | #6 |
| 1910 | 29 | #802 | 5,228 | #6 |
| 1909 | 30 | #737 | 4,348 | #6 |
| 1908 | 21 | #865 | 4,162 | #6 |
| 1907 | 12 | #1,171 | 3,844 | #7 |
| 1906 | 21 | #810 | 3,527 | #7 |
| 1905 | 22 | #790 | 3,302 | #7 |
| 1904 | 18 | #864 | 3,291 | #7 |
| 1903 | 13 | #1,002 | 3,121 | #6 |
| 1902 | 8 | #1,381 | 3,098 | #7 |
| 1901 | 14 | #900 | 2,766 | #6 |
| 1900 | 14 | #1,031 | 3,714 | #7 |
| 1899 | 19 | #740 | 2,679 | #6 |
| 1898 | 23 | #686 | 3,171 | #6 |
| 1897 | 20 | #706 | 2,827 | #6 |
| 1896 | 24 | #645 | 3,051 | #6 |
| 1895 | 23 | #651 | 2,992 | #7 |
| 1894 | 17 | #730 | 2,977 | #6 |
| 1893 | 26 | #557 | 2,997 | #6 |
| 1892 | 13 | #847 | 3,064 | #7 |
| 1891 | 11 | #866 | 2,572 | #7 |
| 1890 | 11 | #853 | 2,670 | #7 |
| 1889 | 7 | #1,074 | 2,729 | #7 |
| 1888 | 18 | #602 | 2,993 | #7 |
| 1887 | 13 | #649 | 2,456 | #7 |
| 1886 | 8 | #863 | 2,594 | #7 |
| 1885 | 14 | #593 | 2,540 | #7 |
| 1884 | 9 | #766 | 2,707 | #7 |
| 1883 | 17 | #471 | 2,515 | #7 |
| 1882 | 6 | #854 | 2,670 | #7 |
| 1881 | 10 | #560 | 2,456 | #7 |
| 1880 | 10 | #562 | 2,632 | #7 |
About the data: counts are Social Security card applications for US births, for names given to at least five babies of a sex in a year (SSA, names.zip, public domain). Ranks follow SSA’s own order: most births first, ties alphabetical. Files retrieved 2026-10-05 (checksum on our sources page).