Joseph

#8,362 for girls in 2025, 12 births · #29 for boys in 2025, 7,303 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
#5
1917 · 24,761 births
Debut · boys
1880
2,632 births
In top 100 · boys
146 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
2,669,490
since 1880

Joseph over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10rank188019001920194019601980200020201962peak #5, 1917boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#8,36212#297,303
2024#15,2935#327,261
2023#8,48612#297,279
2022#10,3839#307,839
2021#11,1468#288,166
2020#10,2509#268,486
2019#7,02516#249,179
2018#7,40915#239,682
2017#6,28719#1810,488
2016#8,39313#2010,969
2015#8,93112#2111,531
2014#14,5586#2012,155
2013#6,25520#2012,278
2012#7,45616#1912,594
2011#5,72823#2212,995
2010#7,51316#2013,851
2009#6,54420#1514,952
2008#4,88230#1316,599
2007#5,09728#1317,364
2006#4,81129#1118,471
2005#3,94236#919,241
2004#1,835103#920,147
2003#4,22031#621,394
2002#3,73035#721,920
2001#4,44727#822,030
2000#4,79124#822,844
1999#2,99144#823,220
1998#2,69150#1123,186
1997#2,73345#1223,604
1996#2,45152#1224,758
1995#2,15562#1225,354
1994#1,84177#1125,734
1993#2,04567#1227,014
1992#2,01068#1127,904
1991#1,67788#929,840
1990#1,73384#1030,137
1989#1,178139#1129,884
1988#930182#1229,019
1987#805217#1228,516
1986#807208#1228,834
1985#755227#1030,222
1984#763211#1030,513
1983#763211#1130,442
1982#810196#1131,035
1981#841186#1130,761
1980#763217#1030,185
1979#769209#1128,654
1978#828180#1026,663
1977#844176#1026,483
1976#921142#1224,055
1975#951132#1222,125
1974#984124#1221,834
1973#917134#1221,326
1972#949128#1222,454
1971#895148#1524,517
1970#929138#1626,714
1969#832154#1526,173
1968#887134#1625,396
1967#926122#1525,926
1966#1,042100#1526,981
1965#922120#1128,630
1964#969119#1130,576
1963#894137#1330,077
1962#1,054105#1330,090
1961#1,031112#1229,450
1960#976120#1229,749
1959#1,11692#1329,539
1958#1,18980#1230,115
1957#1,08393#1231,851
1956#1,13383#1232,749
1955#1,09584#1331,589
1954#1,13476#1331,221
1953#1,24161#1329,269
1952#1,14768#1228,510
1951#1,29252#1428,147
1950#1,15364#1327,022
1949#1,21056#1426,408
1948#1,05769#1326,801
1947#1,07968#1427,520
1946#1,08761#1424,284
1945#1,01558#1420,823
1944#84182#1321,176
1943#98665#1322,828
1942#86479#1122,429
1941#90366#1219,808
1940#89464#1218,208
1939#90360#1217,722
1938#81175#1217,742
1937#88261#1217,322
1936#80670#1117,453
1935#77576#1017,181
1934#71087#1017,111
1933#656100#917,162
1932#656104#918,566
1931#626112#919,326
1930#574141#920,981
1929#540159#921,165
1928#513182#922,322
1927#547167#923,503
1926#562161#823,756
1925#637132#724,613
1924#643135#725,421
1923#708106#725,561
1922#711104#725,699
1921#675120#726,182
1920#687112#725,587
1919#74389#724,266
1918#75190#726,261
1917#71394#524,761
1916#78277#523,883
1915#79169#523,051
1914#69269#518,829
1913#85238#514,471
1912#75744#512,062
1911#81128#66,488
1910#79429#65,228
1909#73130#64,348
1908#84921#64,162
1907#1,14212#73,844
1906#79321#73,527
1905#77722#73,302
1904#85318#73,291
1903#96913#63,121
1902#1,3208#73,098
1901#88114#62,766
1900#1,00814#73,714
1899#72819#62,679
1898#67923#63,171
1897#69920#62,827
1896#63524#63,051
1895#63823#72,992
1894#71917#62,977
1893#54726#62,997
1892#83013#73,064
1891#83911#72,572
1890#82511#72,670
1889#1,0257#72,729
1888#59318#72,993
1887#63313#72,456
1886#8288#72,594
1885#57614#72,540
1884#7319#72,707
1883#46517#72,515
1882#8136#72,670
1881#53910#72,456
1880#54710#72,632
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Joseph was already there! It came in at #7, and was given to 2,632 baby boys.

Quietest stretch: 1880–1899, when fewer than 3,200 boys a year got the name.

Where Joseph is popular in 1962

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #9 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 54 boysAKMaine: #21 for boys · 129 births · 1 in 83 boysMEVermont: #22 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 78 boysVTNew Hampshire: #22 for boys · 74 births · 1 in 83 boysNHWashington: #25 for boys · 307 births · 1 in 100 boysWAIdaho: #44 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 175 boysIDMontana: #24 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 93 boysMTNorth Dakota: #30 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 118 boysNDMinnesota: #20 for boys · 493 births · 1 in 82 boysMNIllinois: #15 for boys · 1,698 births · 1 in 65 boysILWisconsin: #19 for boys · 647 births · 1 in 70 boysWIMichigan: #18 for boys · 1,224 births · 1 in 72 boysMINew York: #6 for boys · 4,591 births · 1 in 38 boysNYMassachusetts: #11 for boys · 1,391 births · 1 in 40 boysMARhode Island: #9 for boys · 246 births · 1 in 35 boysRIOregon: #29 for boys · 146 births · 1 in 118 boysORNevada: #18 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 78 boysNVWyoming: #29 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 122 boysWYSouth Dakota: #33 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 126 boysSDIowa: #28 for boys · 250 births · 1 in 116 boysIAIndiana: #19 for boys · 613 births · 1 in 85 boysINOhio: #13 for boys · 1,627 births · 1 in 65 boysOHPennsylvania: #8 for boys · 3,092 births · 1 in 36 boysPANew Jersey: #7 for boys · 1,896 births · 1 in 32 boysNJConnecticut: #10 for boys · 601 births · 1 in 43 boysCTCalifornia: #20 for boys · 1,976 births · 1 in 95 boysCAUtah: #36 for boys · 76 births · 1 in 159 boysUTColorado: #16 for boys · 261 births · 1 in 83 boysCONebraska: #23 for boys · 157 births · 1 in 103 boysNEMissouri: #18 for boys · 595 births · 1 in 78 boysMOKentucky: #16 for boys · 455 births · 1 in 75 boysKYWest Virginia: #17 for boys · 234 births · 1 in 76 boysWVVirginia: #15 for boys · 524 births · 1 in 82 boysVAMaryland: #11 for boys · 632 births · 1 in 50 boysMDDelaware: #10 for boys · 103 births · 1 in 48 boysDEArizona: #15 for boys · 183 births · 1 in 92 boysAZNew Mexico: #8 for boys · 206 births · 1 in 64 boysNMKansas: #27 for boys · 194 births · 1 in 113 boysKSArkansas: #44 for boys · 122 births · 1 in 160 boysARTennessee: #31 for boys · 298 births · 1 in 130 boysTNNorth Carolina: #21 for boys · 543 births · 1 in 95 boysNCSouth Carolina: #15 for boys · 316 births · 1 in 86 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #12 for boys · 262 births · 1 in 55 boysDCOklahoma: #51 for boys · 117 births · 1 in 201 boysOKLouisiana: #8 for boys · 692 births · 1 in 58 boysLAMississippi: #22 for boys · 240 births · 1 in 112 boysMSAlabama: #19 for boys · 409 births · 1 in 89 boysALGeorgia: #17 for boys · 500 births · 1 in 94 boysGAHawaii: #14 for boys · 90 births · 1 in 84 boysHITexas: #35 for boys · 748 births · 1 in 160 boysTXFlorida: #12 for boys · 715 births · 1 in 76 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. New York#6 · 1 in 38
  2. New Jersey#7 · 1 in 32
  3. Pennsylvania#8 · 1 in 36
  4. Louisiana#8 · 1 in 58
  5. New Mexico#8 · 1 in 64

Best ever in a state: #2 in New Hampshire, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
New York#64,5911 in 38
New Jersey#71,8961 in 32
Louisiana#86921 in 58
New Mexico#82061 in 64
Pennsylvania#83,0921 in 36
Alaska#9591 in 54
Rhode Island#92461 in 35
Connecticut#106011 in 43
Delaware#101031 in 48
Maryland#116321 in 50
Massachusetts#111,3911 in 40
District of Columbia#122621 in 55
Florida#127151 in 76
Ohio#131,6271 in 65
Hawaii#14901 in 84
Arizona#151831 in 92
Illinois#151,6981 in 65
South Carolina#153161 in 86
Virginia#155241 in 82
Colorado#162611 in 83
Kentucky#164551 in 75
Georgia#175001 in 94
West Virginia#172341 in 76
Michigan#181,2241 in 72
Missouri#185951 in 78
Nevada#18431 in 78
Alabama#194091 in 89
Indiana#196131 in 85
Wisconsin#196471 in 70
California#201,9761 in 95
Minnesota#204931 in 82
Maine#211291 in 83
North Carolina#215431 in 95
Mississippi#222401 in 112
New Hampshire#22741 in 83
Vermont#22491 in 78
Nebraska#231571 in 103
Montana#24801 in 93
Washington#253071 in 100
Kansas#271941 in 113
Iowa#282501 in 116
Oregon#291461 in 118
Wyoming#29271 in 122
North Dakota#30581 in 118
Tennessee#312981 in 130
South Dakota#33611 in 126
Texas#357481 in 160
Utah#36761 in 159
Arkansas#441221 in 160
Idaho#44401 in 175
Oklahoma#511171 in 201

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Joseph
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 3 spots since 2024 (#32 → #29)
  • 3 spots since 2020 (#26 → #29)
  • 8 spots since 2015 (#21 → #29)
  • Biggest jump: 3 spots in 1972 (#15 → #12)
  • Biggest drop: 5 spots in 2010 (#15 → #20)
Rise & fade · boys
37 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1917 at #5 (24,761 births)
  • Births halved by 2013, 96 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 10 for 70 yrs
  • Top 10: 70 yrs · run 1880–1935
  • Top 100: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 35
  • Highest: 1 in 35 boys born in 1914 were named Joseph (2.9%)
  • Latest: 1 in 234 boys born in 2025 (0.43%)
  • Its best rank, #5 in 1917, was only 1 in 37 (2.7%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1950s
  • 11.2% of all boys named Joseph (300,012) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s26,292#7 (1888)#7
1890s29,000#6 (1898)#6
1900s35,173#6 (1909)#7
1910s179,300#5 (1917)#6
1920s243,809#7 (1921)#8
1930s180,566#9 (1930)#10
1940s230,285#11 (1942)#13
1950s300,012#12 (1956)#13
1960s283,048#11 (1964)#13
1970s244,825#10 (1978)#12
1980s299,411#10 (1984)#11
1990s260,751#8 (1999)#11
2000s194,962#6 (2003)#10
2010s115,722#18 (2017)#21
2020s46,334#26 (2020)#29

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Joseph in 1962

girls
#1,054
105 births · 1 in 18,730 girls
boys
#13
30,090 births · 1 in 69 boys

Top girls' names in 1962

  1. #1Lisa46,069
  2. #2Mary43,502
  3. #3Susan35,752
  4. #4Karen35,184
  5. #5Linda31,461
  6. #6Patricia26,532
  7. #7Donna25,719
  8. #8Cynthia24,025
  9. #9Deborah22,889
  10. #10Sandra22,420
  11. #1,054Joseph105

Top boys' names in 1962

  1. #1Michael85,059
  2. #2David81,337
  3. #3John78,427
  4. #4James72,555
  5. #5Robert70,199
  6. #6Mark53,520
  7. #7William44,853
  8. #8Richard39,422
  9. #9Thomas36,529
  10. #10Jeffrey33,537
  11. #13Joseph30,090
More about 1962

girls

1,966,603 girls got a published name in 1962; 1 in 18,730 of them was named Joseph, which outranked 86.1% of the 7,584 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 15.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joseph
  1. #1,050Karolyn106
  2. #1,050Lory106
  3. #1,050Vernita106
  4. #1,054Joseph105
  5. #1,054Marissa105
  6. #1,054Starr105
  7. #1,054Trudi105
  8. #1,058Anthony104
  9. #1,058Chrystal104
  10. #1,058Deb104

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1961
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,281Tiffany#2,070 → #789
  2. ↑ 879Whitney#1,627 → #748
  3. ↑ 541Zina#1,533 → #992
  4. ↑ 414Glynis#1,406 → #992
  5. ↑ 408Lolita#978 → #570
Fallers
  1. ↓ 300Fern#821 → #1,121
  2. ↓ 259Jacklyn#815 → #1,074
  3. ↓ 255Dorthy#929 → #1,184
  4. ↓ 224Laurene#943 → #1,167
  5. ↓ 215Jimmie#911 → #1,126

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

2,068,772 boys got a published name in 1962; 1 in 69 of them was named Joseph, which outranked 99.7% of the 4,631 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 28.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joseph
  1. #10Jeffrey33,537
  2. #11Scott30,703
  3. #12Steven30,688
  4. #13Joseph30,090
  5. #14Kevin28,325
  6. #15Charles27,590
  7. #16Timothy27,111
Biggest movers since 1961
Risers
  1. ↑ 490Ritchie#1,262 → #772
  2. ↑ 353King#1,349 → #996
  3. ↑ 338Arlie#1,322 → #984
  4. ↑ 250Robb#1,052 → #802
  5. ↑ 243Pernell#928 → #685
Fallers
  1. ↓ 351Mariano#928 → #1,279
  2. ↓ 349Michal#910 → #1,259
  3. ↓ 337Loran#958 → #1,295
  4. ↓ 292Sid#967 → #1,259
  5. ↓ 275Lorenza#940 → #1,215

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1962 →