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Joseph

{{short description|Given name}}

{{about|the masculine given name|the Old Testament figure|Joseph (Genesis)|father of Jesus|Saint Joseph|other uses}}

{{distinguish|Josiah (given name)|Joshua (name)|Josh}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}

{{Infobox given name

| name = Joseph

| image= Peter von Cornelius 002.jpg

| imagesize=

| caption= Joseph, a figure in the Book of Genesis.

| pronunciation = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|oʊ|z|ɪ|f|,_|-|s|ᵻ|f}}

| gender = Male

| meaning = YHWH shall add, God will add, taken away or praise, fame taken away

| region = Middle East

| origin = Hebrew

| name day = 19 March

| related names = Joe, Joey, Joel, Jojo, Jos, Joss, Josh, John, Jose, Josephus, José, Joseba, Jože, Jāzeps, Dodô, Doido, Joep, Jupp, Posie, Bapi, Jô, Giuseppe, Yosef, Yoseph, Ouseph, Iosif, Peppa, Hovsep, Yusuf, Seph, Sepp, Jo, Josie, Josip, Josif, Josef, József, Pepa, Josephine, Josephina,

Increase, Juuso, Joshua, Ġużepp, Ġużè, Xosé, Żepp, Żeppi}}

Joseph is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew {{transliteration|he|Yosef}}{{cite web|title=JOSEPH|url=http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8803-joseph|website=jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/|publisher=JewishEncyclopedia.com|accessdate=10 March 2015}} "like all other Hebrew names beginning with the syllable "Jo," it has Yhwh as its first element" ({{lang|he|{{Script/Hebrew|יוֹסֵף}}}}). "Joseph" is used,{{cite web|title=JOSEPH|url=http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8803-joseph|website=jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/|publisher=JewishEncyclopedia.com|access-date=10 March 2015}} along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic countries. In Portuguese and Spanish, the name is "José". In Arabic, including in the Quran, the name is spelled {{lang|ar|يوسف}}, {{transliteration|ar|Yūsuf}}. In Kurdish (Kurdî), the name is {{transliteration|ku|Ûsiv or Yûsiv}}, Persian, the name is {{transliteration|fa|Yousef}}, and in Turkish it is {{transliteration|fa|Yusuf}}. In Pashto the name is spelled Esaf (ايسپ) and in Malayalam it is spelled Ousep (ഔസേപ്പ്). In Tamil, it is spelled as Yosepu (யோசேப்பு).

The name has enjoyed significant popularity in its many forms in numerous countries, and Joseph was one of the two names, along with Robert, to have remained in the top 10 boys' names list in the US from 1925 to 1972.{{cite book|title=The Study of Names: A Guide to the Principles and Topics|year=1992|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=Westport, CT|page=10|url=|author=Frank Nuessel|access-date=|isbn= }}{{ISBN?}} It is especially common in contemporary Israel, as either "Yossi" or "Yossef", and in Italy, where the name "Giuseppe" was the most common male name in the 20th century. In the first century CE, Joseph was the second most popular male name for Israeli Jews.Ilan, Tal (2002) Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity: Israel 330 BCE–200 CE (Texts & Studies in Ancient Judaism, 91), Coronet Books, pp. 56–57; Hachili, R. "Hebrew Names, Personal Names, Family Names and Nicknames of Jews in the Second Temple Period," in J. W. van Henten and A. Brenner, eds., Families and Family Relations as Represented in Early Judaism and Early Christianity (STAR 2; Leiden:Deo, 2000), pp. 113–115 (note: Hachili placed Joseph in the third place after Yohanan based on narrower basis on data than Ilan's, whereas Bauckham's calculation, based on Ilan's data, places Joseph at the second place); {{cite book| last=Bauckham| first= Richard |title =Jesus and the Eyewitnesses | edition = 2nd | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing | year = 2017 | isbn = 9780802874313 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=J2lAvgAACAAJ | pages =68–72 }} Quote (p. 71): 15.6% of men bore one of the two most popular male names, Simon and Joseph; (p. 72): for the Gospels and Acts... 18.2% of men bore one of the two most popular male names, Simon and Joseph.

In the Book of Genesis{{Bibleverse|Genesis|30:24}} Joseph is Jacob's eleventh son and Rachel's first son, and known in the Hebrew Bible as Yossef ben-Yaakov.{{cite web|title=JACOB, also called Israel|url=http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8381-jacob| publisher=JewishEncyclopedia.com|access-date=10 March 2015}} In the New Testament the most notable two are Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus; and Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus who supplied the tomb in which Jesus was buried.

Etymology

The Bible offers two explanations for the origins of the name Yosef: first, it is compared to the word {{transliteration|hbo|asaf}} from the root /'sp/, {{gloss|taken away}}: "And she conceived, and bore a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach"; Yosef is then identified with the similar root /ysp/, meaning {{gloss|add}}: "And she called his name Joseph; and said, The {{LORD}} shall add to me another son."Friedman, R. E., The Bible with Sources Revealed (2003), p. 80 The Jewish Encyclopedia says that it is a theophoric name referencing the Tetragrammaton, and in fact his name is spelled Jehoseph, with the theophoric first syllable 'Jeho', once in Psalms.{{cite web |title=JOSEPH |url=http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8803-joseph |access-date=10 March 2015 |website=The Jewish Encyclopedia |publisher=JewishEncyclopedia.com}} "like all other Hebrew names beginning with the syllable 'Jo,' it has Yhwh as its first element".

The name can also consist of the Hebrew yadah meaning "praise", "fame" and the word asaf.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

Variants, diminutives and familiar forms in other languages

{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2020}}

Variations for males include:

  • Afrikaans: Josef, Joesoef
  • Albanian: Jozef, Zef, Josif, Jozë, Isuf, Bep, Bibë
  • Alemmanic: Sepp, Seppu
  • Alsatian: Sepp
  • Amharic: {{lang|am|ዮሴፍ}} (Yosēfi)
  • Aragonese: Chusep, Chusé
  • Aramaic: {{lang|amw|ܝܰܘܣܶܦ}} (Yawsef, Yowsef)
  • Armenian: {{lang|hy|Հովսեփ, Յովսէփ}} (Hovsep)
  • Arabic: {{lang|ar|يوسف}} (Yūsif, Youssef, Yussef, Yousif, Yousef, Youssof, Yūsuf)
  • Arpitan: Dzozè
  • Azerbaijani: Yusif, Yusuf, Usub
  • Basque: Joseba, Josepe
  • Bavarian: Sepp, Bepperl, Beppe, Beppi,
  • Belarusian: {{lang|be|Іосіф}} (Iosif), {{lang|be|Язэп}} (Jazep)
  • Bengali: {{lang|bn|ইউসুফ}} (Iusuf or Yusuf) (Islamic), {{lang|bn|জোসেফ}} (Josef) (Christian)
  • Betawi: Yusuf, Yusup, Ucup.
  • Bosnian: Josip, Jusuf
  • Breton: Jozef, Jozeb
  • Bulgarian: {{lang|bg|Йосиф}} (Yosif)
  • Burmese (Myanmar): {{lang|my|ယောသပ်}} (Yaw sautsai)
  • Cantonese: {{lang|yue|約瑟}} (Joek{{sup|3}} sat{{sup|1}})
  • Catalan: Josep, Pep (shortened form), Jep (an alternative shortened form)
  • Circassian: {{lang|ady|Юсыф}} (Yusyf)
  • Cornish: Josep
  • Corsican: Ghjaseppu, Ghjiseppu; Diminutives: Ghjasè, Ghjisè
  • Croatian: Josip, Joso, Jozo, Joza, Joze, Joško, Joža, Jože, Bepo, Bepi, Bapi, Pino, Osíp, Bozo, Gonzo, Ganso
  • Czech: Josef; Diminutives: Pepa, Peppa, Pepík, Pepik, Jožka, Pepan, Pepča, Pepek, Pepino, Jožin
  • Danish: Josef
  • Dutch: Jozef, Josephus; Diminutives: Joep, Joost, Jos, Jo, Jef, Seppe
  • English: Joseph, Diminutives: Jo, Joe, Joey, Josy, Jossy, Josey, Jos, Josie
  • Estonian: Joosep, Joosu
  • Faroese: Jósef
  • Fijian: Josefa
  • Filipino: Joseph, José, Pepe, Peping, Sep, Jojo
  • Finnish: Jooseppi, Juuso
  • French: José, Joseph, Jojo
  • Friulian: Josef, 'Sef, 'Sefin, 'Sefut, Bepi, Bepo, Beput
  • Galician: Xosé
  • Georgian: {{lang|ka|იოსებ}} (Ioseb), {{lang|ka|სოსო}} (Soso)
  • German: Joscha, Josef, Joseph; Jupp (familiar); Sepp, Seppl or Pepi (familiar or diminutive forms, particularly in South Germany and Austria)
  • Greek: {{lang|el|Ιωσήφ}} (Iosif), {{lang|el|Ιώσηπος}} (Iosipos), {{lang|el|Σήφης}} (Sifis) (local in Crete)
  • Gujarati: {{lang|gu|જોસેફ}} (Jōsēfa)
  • Hawaiian: Iokepa
  • Hebrew: {{Lang|he|יוסף}} (Yosef), {{lang|he|יוסי}} (Yossi) (diminutive)
  • Hiligaynon: José, Josef, Josep (rare)
  • Hindi: {{lang|hi|यूसुफ}} (Yūsuf)
  • Hungarian: József, Jóska, Józsi (diminutive)
  • Icelandic: Jósef, Jói
  • Igbo: Yôsēp̄, Yossef, Josef
  • Indonesian: Joesoef, Josef, Joseph, Jusuf, Ucup, Yosef, Yosep, Yusuf, Yusup, Yoseph, Yosi
  • Italian: Giuseppe, Giù, Beppe, Peppe, Peppino, Pepino, Pino, Bepi, Beppo, Pippo, Puccio, Gioseffo, Gio or Giò
  • Irish: Seosamh, Iósaf
  • Japanese: {{lang|ja|ヨセフ}} (Yosefu), {{lang|ja|ジョセフ}} (Josefu)
  • Kambaata: Yeseffe, Yese, Josse, Jossy
  • Kannada: {{lang|kn|ಜೋಸೆಫ್}} (Jōseph)
  • Kashmiri: {{lang|ks|یوٗسف}} (Yūsuf)
  • Kazakh: Yusuf, Jusip
  • Khmer: {{lang|km|យ៉ូសែប}} (Yousaep)
  • Korean: {{lang|ko|요셉}} (Yosep), {{lang|ko|조셉}} (Josep)
  • Kurdish (Kurdî): Ûsiv, Yûsiv
  • Kyrgyz: {{lang|ky|Жусуп}} (Jusup), Юс
  • Latvian: Jāzeps, Jozefs, Josefs, Josifs, Džozefs, Žozefs, Jusufs, Jozis, Zeps, Seps
  • Limburgish: Joep, Sef
  • Lithuanian: Juozapas, Juozas (shorter form), Juzas, Juzė (diminutive), Justas
  • Lombard: Usèp, Jusèp, Bèp
  • Macedonian: {{lang|mk|Јосиф}} (J̌osif)
  • Malayalam: {{lang|ml|ജോസപ്പ്}} (Josapp) or {{lang|ml|ജോസപ്പൻ}} (Josappan), {{lang|ml|ഔസേപ്പ്}} (Ousepp), {{lang|ml|യോസേപ്പ്}} (Yosepp), {{lang|ml|കൊച്ചാപ്പു}} (Kochaappu), {{lang|ml|ഈപ്പൻ}} (Eeppan), {{lang|ml|ജോസഫ്}} (Jōsaph), {{lang|ml|ഐപ്പ്}} (Iype)
  • Malaysian: Yusuf, Yusop, Yusoff, Jusoh, Eusoff, Usop
  • Manado Malay: Josef, Yosef, Oce'
  • Maltese: Ġużeppi, Ġużi, Ġuż, Ġużè, Peppi, Peppu, Peppinu, Pepp, Peppa, Pepa, Żeppi, Żeppu, Żepp
  • Mandarin: {{lang-zh|s=约瑟|t=約瑟|p=(Yuēsè)}}, {{lang-zh|s=约瑟夫|t=約瑟夫|p=(Yuēsèfū)}}, {{lang-zh|s=玉素甫|p=Yùsùfǔ, Zho-Zi-Fu}}
  • Marathi: {{lang|mr|योसेफ}} (Jōsēfa)
  • Māori: Hohepa
  • Mongolian: {{lang|mn|Иосеф}} (Iosyef)
  • Nepali: {{lang|ne|यूसुफ}} (Yūsupha)
  • Norwegian: Josef
  • Occitan: Josèp
  • Persian: {{lang|fa|يوسف}} (Youssef, Yūsuf, Yussef)
  • Polish: Józef, Józek (diminutive), Józio (diminutive)
  • Portuguese: José, Josefo, Joséf; diminutive forms: Zé, Zeca, Zezé
  • Provençal: Jóusè
  • Punjabi: {{lang|pa|ਯੂਸੁਫ਼}} (Yūsufa)
  • Quechua: Husiy
  • Romanian: Iosif, Iosub
  • Romansch: Giusep, Gisep, Giusi, Sepp
  • Russian: {{lang|ru|Иосиф}} (Iosif), {{lang|ru|Осип}} (Osip), {{lang|ru|Пеппа}} (Peppa)
  • Samoan: Iosefa, Sefa
  • Sardinian: Josepe, Zosepe, Gisepu
  • Scottish Gaelic: Seòsaidh, Eòsaph, Iòsaph
  • Serbian: {{lang|sr|Јосиф}} (Josif), {{lang|sr|Јосип}} (Josip), {{lang|sr|Јосеф}} (Josef), {{lang|sr|Јозеф}} (Jozef)
  • Sepedi: Josefa
  • Sicilian: Giuseppi
  • Silesian: Zefel, Zeflik (diminutive)
  • Sinhala: {{lang|si|ජුසේ}} (Juse), {{lang|si|ජෝසේෆ්}} (Jōsēf)
  • Slovak: Jozef, Jožo, Dodo, Ďoďo, Dodô, Doido
  • Slovene: Jožef, Jože
  • Somali: {{lang|so|Yuusuf}}
  • Spanish: José; hypocoristic versions: Pepe, Chepe, Che, Cheo, Chelo
  • Sundanese: Ucup, Yusup, Yosep
  • Swahili: Yusuph, Yusufu, Yosefu
  • Swedish: Josef
  • Sylheti: {{lang|syl|য়ুসুফ}} (Yusuf)
  • Syriac: {{lang|syc|ܝܘܣܦ}} (Yosip, Yausef, Ossi)
  • Tagalog: Jose, Pepe, Peping
  • Tamil: {{lang|ta|சூசை}} (sūsai), {{lang|ta|யோசேப்பு}} (yōcēppu)
  • Tajik: {{lang|tg|Юсуф}} (Yusuf)
  • Telugu: {{lang|te|యోసేపు}} (Yōsepu)
  • Thai: {{lang|th|โจเซฟ}} (Co sef, Josef)
  • Tongan: Siosefa
  • Turkish: Yusuf
  • Turkmen: Yusup
  • Tyap: {{lang|kcg|Isuu}}
  • Ukrainian: {{lang|uk|Йосип}} (Josyp), {{lang|uk|Осип}} (Osyp)
  • {{Langx|ur|يوسف|rtl=yes}} (Yūsuf)
  • Uzbek: Yusuf
  • Valencian: Josep
  • Venetian: Juxepe, Bepi, Bepin, Bapi
  • Vietnamese: Giu-se or Giô-xếp or Yuse or Giô-sép
  • Vilamovian: Juza
  • Welsh: Joseff, Ioseff (or, less commonly, Iosep)
  • Yiddish: Yissl, Yussel, Jayzl
  • Yoruba: Josefu, Yusufu
  • Shona: Joze, Joza
  • Zulu: uJosef

=Female forms=

{{main article|Josephine (name)}}

  • Albanian: Jozefina, Zefina
  • Catalan: Josepa, Pepa, Peppa (shortened)
  • Cornish: Josepa
  • Croatian: Josipa, Josica, Jozica
  • Czech: Josefina, Josefa, Jozeva
  • Dutch: José, Josefien
  • English: Jo, Josephine, Joette, Posy, Posie
  • French: Joséphine, Josephte, Josepthe
  • Friulian: Josefe, 'Sefe, Pine
  • Greek: {{lang|el|Ιωσηφίνα}} (Iosiphina)
  • Hungarian: Jozefa, Jozefina, Józsa
  • Indonesian: Yosephine, Josefa, Josepha, Josephira, Josephine, Josephina, Yosefin, Yosefina, Josefina, Yosepha
  • Irish: Seosaimhín
  • Italian: Giuseppa, Giuseppina
  • Maltese: Ġuża, Ġużeppa
  • Norwegian: Josefine, Josephine
  • Polish: Józefina, Józefa, Józia (shortened)
  • Portuguese: Josefa, Josefina, José (mainly in the compound Maria José), Zezé (nickname)
  • Romansh: Giuseppa, Giuseppina
  • Samoan: Iosefina
  • Sardinian: Josepa, Zosepa, Zosepedda
  • Slovak: Jozefína, Jozefa
  • Spanish: Josefa, Josefina, Josefita
  • Swedish: Josefin, Josefine, Josephine, Josefina
  • Yiddish: Jayzl, Yissl

People

=Biblical figures=

=Royalty=

=Politics and government=

=Arts and entertainment=

=Sports=

=Religion=

{{see also|Patriarch Joseph (disambiguation)}}

=Scholars=

=Inventors=

=Criminals=

=Other=

Fictional characters

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{given name}}

Category:English-language masculine given names

Category:English masculine given names

Category:German masculine given names

Category:Masculine given names

Category:Hebrew masculine given names

Category:Modern names of Hebrew origin