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
- Peak · boys
- 1917 · 24,761 births
- Debut · boys
- 2,632 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 146 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 2,669,490since 1880
Joseph over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
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
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #8,362 | 12 | #29 | 7,303 |
| 2024 | #15,293 | 5 | #32 | 7,261 |
| 2023 | #8,486 | 12 | #29 | 7,279 |
| 2022 | #10,383 | 9 | #30 | 7,839 |
| 2021 | #11,146 | 8 | #28 | 8,166 |
| 2020 | #10,250 | 9 | #26 | 8,486 |
| 2019 | #7,025 | 16 | #24 | 9,179 |
| 2018 | #7,409 | 15 | #23 | 9,682 |
| 2017 | #6,287 | 19 | #18 | 10,488 |
| 2016 | #8,393 | 13 | #20 | 10,969 |
| 2015 | #8,931 | 12 | #21 | 11,531 |
| 2014 | #14,558 | 6 | #20 | 12,155 |
| 2013 | #6,255 | 20 | #20 | 12,278 |
| 2012 | #7,456 | 16 | #19 | 12,594 |
| 2011 | #5,728 | 23 | #22 | 12,995 |
| 2010 | #7,513 | 16 | #20 | 13,851 |
| 2009 | #6,544 | 20 | #15 | 14,952 |
| 2008 | #4,882 | 30 | #13 | 16,599 |
| 2007 | #5,097 | 28 | #13 | 17,364 |
| 2006 | #4,811 | 29 | #11 | 18,471 |
| 2005 | #3,942 | 36 | #9 | 19,241 |
| 2004 | #1,835 | 103 | #9 | 20,147 |
| 2003 | #4,220 | 31 | #6 | 21,394 |
| 2002 | #3,730 | 35 | #7 | 21,920 |
| 2001 | #4,447 | 27 | #8 | 22,030 |
| 2000 | #4,791 | 24 | #8 | 22,844 |
| 1999 | #2,991 | 44 | #8 | 23,220 |
| 1998 | #2,691 | 50 | #11 | 23,186 |
| 1997 | #2,733 | 45 | #12 | 23,604 |
| 1996 | #2,451 | 52 | #12 | 24,758 |
| 1995 | #2,155 | 62 | #12 | 25,354 |
| 1994 | #1,841 | 77 | #11 | 25,734 |
| 1993 | #2,045 | 67 | #12 | 27,014 |
| 1992 | #2,010 | 68 | #11 | 27,904 |
| 1991 | #1,677 | 88 | #9 | 29,840 |
| 1990 | #1,733 | 84 | #10 | 30,137 |
| 1989 | #1,178 | 139 | #11 | 29,884 |
| 1988 | #930 | 182 | #12 | 29,019 |
| 1987 | #805 | 217 | #12 | 28,516 |
| 1986 | #807 | 208 | #12 | 28,834 |
| 1985 | #755 | 227 | #10 | 30,222 |
| 1984 | #763 | 211 | #10 | 30,513 |
| 1983 | #763 | 211 | #11 | 30,442 |
| 1982 | #810 | 196 | #11 | 31,035 |
| 1981 | #841 | 186 | #11 | 30,761 |
| 1980 | #763 | 217 | #10 | 30,185 |
| 1979 | #769 | 209 | #11 | 28,654 |
| 1978 | #828 | 180 | #10 | 26,663 |
| 1977 | #844 | 176 | #10 | 26,483 |
| 1976 | #921 | 142 | #12 | 24,055 |
| 1975 | #951 | 132 | #12 | 22,125 |
| 1974 | #984 | 124 | #12 | 21,834 |
| 1973 | #917 | 134 | #12 | 21,326 |
| 1972 | #949 | 128 | #12 | 22,454 |
| 1971 | #895 | 148 | #15 | 24,517 |
| 1970 | #929 | 138 | #16 | 26,714 |
| 1969 | #832 | 154 | #15 | 26,173 |
| 1968 | #887 | 134 | #16 | 25,396 |
| 1967 | #926 | 122 | #15 | 25,926 |
| 1966 | #1,042 | 100 | #15 | 26,981 |
| 1965 | #922 | 120 | #11 | 28,630 |
| 1964 | #969 | 119 | #11 | 30,576 |
| 1963 | #894 | 137 | #13 | 30,077 |
| 1962 | #1,054 | 105 | #13 | 30,090 |
| 1961 | #1,031 | 112 | #12 | 29,450 |
| 1960 | #976 | 120 | #12 | 29,749 |
| 1959 | #1,116 | 92 | #13 | 29,539 |
| 1958 | #1,189 | 80 | #12 | 30,115 |
| 1957 | #1,083 | 93 | #12 | 31,851 |
| 1956 | #1,133 | 83 | #12 | 32,749 |
| 1955 | #1,095 | 84 | #13 | 31,589 |
| 1954 | #1,134 | 76 | #13 | 31,221 |
| 1953 | #1,241 | 61 | #13 | 29,269 |
| 1952 | #1,147 | 68 | #12 | 28,510 |
| 1951 | #1,292 | 52 | #14 | 28,147 |
| 1950 | #1,153 | 64 | #13 | 27,022 |
| 1949 | #1,210 | 56 | #14 | 26,408 |
| 1948 | #1,057 | 69 | #13 | 26,801 |
| 1947 | #1,079 | 68 | #14 | 27,520 |
| 1946 | #1,087 | 61 | #14 | 24,284 |
| 1945 | #1,015 | 58 | #14 | 20,823 |
| 1944 | #841 | 82 | #13 | 21,176 |
| 1943 | #986 | 65 | #13 | 22,828 |
| 1942 | #864 | 79 | #11 | 22,429 |
| 1941 | #903 | 66 | #12 | 19,808 |
| 1940 | #894 | 64 | #12 | 18,208 |
| 1939 | #903 | 60 | #12 | 17,722 |
| 1938 | #811 | 75 | #12 | 17,742 |
| 1937 | #882 | 61 | #12 | 17,322 |
| 1936 | #806 | 70 | #11 | 17,453 |
| 1935 | #775 | 76 | #10 | 17,181 |
| 1934 | #710 | 87 | #10 | 17,111 |
| 1933 | #656 | 100 | #9 | 17,162 |
| 1932 | #656 | 104 | #9 | 18,566 |
| 1931 | #626 | 112 | #9 | 19,326 |
| 1930 | #574 | 141 | #9 | 20,981 |
| 1929 | #540 | 159 | #9 | 21,165 |
| 1928 | #513 | 182 | #9 | 22,322 |
| 1927 | #547 | 167 | #9 | 23,503 |
| 1926 | #562 | 161 | #8 | 23,756 |
| 1925 | #637 | 132 | #7 | 24,613 |
| 1924 | #643 | 135 | #7 | 25,421 |
| 1923 | #708 | 106 | #7 | 25,561 |
| 1922 | #711 | 104 | #7 | 25,699 |
| 1921 | #675 | 120 | #7 | 26,182 |
| 1920 | #687 | 112 | #7 | 25,587 |
| 1919 | #743 | 89 | #7 | 24,266 |
| 1918 | #751 | 90 | #7 | 26,261 |
| 1917 | #713 | 94 | #5 | 24,761 |
| 1916 | #782 | 77 | #5 | 23,883 |
| 1915 | #791 | 69 | #5 | 23,051 |
| 1914 | #692 | 69 | #5 | 18,829 |
| 1913 | #852 | 38 | #5 | 14,471 |
| 1912 | #757 | 44 | #5 | 12,062 |
| 1911 | #811 | 28 | #6 | 6,488 |
| 1910 | #794 | 29 | #6 | 5,228 |
| 1909 | #731 | 30 | #6 | 4,348 |
| 1908 | #849 | 21 | #6 | 4,162 |
| 1907 | #1,142 | 12 | #7 | 3,844 |
| 1906 | #793 | 21 | #7 | 3,527 |
| 1905 | #777 | 22 | #7 | 3,302 |
| 1904 | #853 | 18 | #7 | 3,291 |
| 1903 | #969 | 13 | #6 | 3,121 |
| 1902 | #1,320 | 8 | #7 | 3,098 |
| 1901 | #881 | 14 | #6 | 2,766 |
| 1900 | #1,008 | 14 | #7 | 3,714 |
| 1899 | #728 | 19 | #6 | 2,679 |
| 1898 | #679 | 23 | #6 | 3,171 |
| 1897 | #699 | 20 | #6 | 2,827 |
| 1896 | #635 | 24 | #6 | 3,051 |
| 1895 | #638 | 23 | #7 | 2,992 |
| 1894 | #719 | 17 | #6 | 2,977 |
| 1893 | #547 | 26 | #6 | 2,997 |
| 1892 | #830 | 13 | #7 | 3,064 |
| 1891 | #839 | 11 | #7 | 2,572 |
| 1890 | #825 | 11 | #7 | 2,670 |
| 1889 | #1,025 | 7 | #7 | 2,729 |
| 1888 | #593 | 18 | #7 | 2,993 |
| 1887 | #633 | 13 | #7 | 2,456 |
| 1886 | #828 | 8 | #7 | 2,594 |
| 1885 | #576 | 14 | #7 | 2,540 |
| 1884 | #731 | 9 | #7 | 2,707 |
| 1883 | #465 | 17 | #7 | 2,515 |
| 1882 | #813 | 6 | #7 | 2,670 |
| 1881 | #539 | 10 | #7 | 2,456 |
| 1880 | #547 | 10 | #7 | 2,632 |
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 1986
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- Rhode Island#5 · 1 in 37
- New Jersey#5 · 1 in 40
- New York#5 · 1 in 43
- Massachusetts#7 · 1 in 44
- Connecticut#7 · 1 in 45
Best ever in a state: #2 in New Hampshire, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | #5 | 1,185 | 1 in 40 |
| New York | #5 | 2,853 | 1 in 43 |
| Rhode Island | #5 | 163 | 1 in 37 |
| Connecticut | #7 | 447 | 1 in 45 |
| Massachusetts | #7 | 893 | 1 in 44 |
| New Mexico | #7 | 219 | 1 in 52 |
| Pennsylvania | #7 | 1,673 | 1 in 46 |
| Delaware | #8 | 103 | 1 in 39 |
| Maine | #9 | 150 | 1 in 48 |
| Minnesota | #9 | 644 | 1 in 48 |
| Florida | #10 | 1,262 | 1 in 61 |
| Louisiana | #10 | 524 | 1 in 65 |
| Nevada | #10 | 133 | 1 in 48 |
| Arizona | #11 | 429 | 1 in 63 |
| Illinois | #11 | 1,360 | 1 in 59 |
| Wisconsin | #11 | 643 | 1 in 52 |
| Colorado | #12 | 394 | 1 in 64 |
| District of Columbia | #12 | 125 | 1 in 60 |
| Maryland | #12 | 540 | 1 in 52 |
| Ohio | #12 | 1,357 | 1 in 56 |
| California | #13 | 3,012 | 1 in 76 |
| Georgia | #13 | 728 | 1 in 61 |
| Michigan | #13 | 1,104 | 1 in 58 |
| Missouri | #13 | 619 | 1 in 58 |
| Oregon | #13 | 293 | 1 in 61 |
| West Virginia | #13 | 199 | 1 in 56 |
| Kentucky | #14 | 407 | 1 in 59 |
| Nebraska | #14 | 176 | 1 in 63 |
| Alabama | #15 | 383 | 1 in 66 |
| Mississippi | #15 | 222 | 1 in 77 |
| North Carolina | #15 | 621 | 1 in 66 |
| South Carolina | #15 | 297 | 1 in 71 |
| South Dakota | #15 | 77 | 1 in 62 |
| Virginia | #15 | 630 | 1 in 60 |
| Washington | #15 | 475 | 1 in 66 |
| Alaska | #16 | 74 | 1 in 64 |
| Arkansas | #16 | 201 | 1 in 73 |
| Indiana | #16 | 561 | 1 in 66 |
| Iowa | #16 | 292 | 1 in 62 |
| Montana | #16 | 78 | 1 in 67 |
| New Hampshire | #16 | 114 | 1 in 61 |
| Tennessee | #16 | 503 | 1 in 62 |
| Texas | #16 | 1,681 | 1 in 87 |
| Kansas | #18 | 235 | 1 in 73 |
| Hawaii | #19 | 74 | 1 in 88 |
| Idaho | #19 | 90 | 1 in 76 |
| Vermont | #19 | 50 | 1 in 66 |
| North Dakota | #21 | 73 | 1 in 71 |
| Oklahoma | #22 | 253 | 1 in 89 |
| Utah | #23 | 180 | 1 in 92 |
| Wyoming | #25 | 35 | 1 in 89 |
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
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 26,292 | #7 (1888) | #7 |
| 1890s | 29,000 | #6 (1898) | #6 |
| 1900s | 35,173 | #6 (1909) | #7 |
| 1910s | 179,300 | #5 (1917) | #6 |
| 1920s | 243,809 | #7 (1921) | #8 |
| 1930s | 180,566 | #9 (1930) | #10 |
| 1940s | 230,285 | #11 (1942) | #13 |
| 1950s | 300,012 | #12 (1956) | #13 |
| 1960s | 283,048 | #11 (1964) | #13 |
| 1970s | 244,825 | #10 (1978) | #12 |
| 1980s | 299,411 | #10 (1984) | #11 |
| 1990s | 260,751 | #8 (1999) | #11 |
| 2000s | 194,962 | #6 (2003) | #10 |
| 2010s | 115,722 | #18 (2017) | #21 |
| 2020s | 46,334 | #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 1986
girls
#807
208 births · 1 in 8,248 girls
boys
#12
28,834 births · 1 in 64 boys
Top girls' names in 1986
Top boys' names in 1986
More about 1986
girls
1,715,547 girls got a published name in 1986; 1 in 8,248 of them was named Joseph, which outranked 93.7% of the 12,836 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
boys
1,841,515 boys got a published name in 1986; 1 in 64 of them was named Joseph, which outranked 99.8% of the 7,830 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Joseph
Biggest movers since 1985
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.