Joseph

Even though the Biblical Mary conceived Jesus Christ as a virgin, she gave birth with a man. As we all know, his name is Joseph.

Joseph comes from the Greek "Ioseph," which itself comes from the Hebrew "Yosef," which means "he will add." The name's meaning fits the Biblical Joseph because he adds to Mary's family. The meaning fits another Biblical Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob who serves as an advisor to Pharaoh in Egypt.

Joseph became a common Jewish name during the Middle Ages. At the end of the period, a saint made the name popular in Spain and Italy. The name entered use in England after the Protestant Reformation. 

In America, the name ranked within the top 50 since 1880. That makes Joseph a truly timeless name. It has been worn by several saints and rulers throughout history, such as Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin (1878-1953), as well. Other notable bearers include Joseph Smith (1805-1844), who founded the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, and current President Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden.

Joseph is popular in all other English-speaking nations. It is common in France, Ireland, and Scotland as well. Plus, as with many classics, Joseph has a variety of international variants.

Joseph is less popular today than it ever was, but it remains a timeless classic. Parents can either use it in full or shorten it to nicknames such as "Joe" or "Joey."

NICKNAMES:

Joe, Joey

STYLES:

Biblical, Timeless

SISTERS:

Elizabeth, Rebecca, Abigail, Victoria, Sarah, Katherine, Lydia, Margaret

BROTHERS:

Thomas, Peter, Jonathan, Charles, Matthew, Henry, William, Anthony

ALTERNATIVES:

Cephus, Japheth, Jonah, Jotham, Moses, Pharaoh, Phillip, Stephen

What do you think about Joseph?