Joseph \j(o)-se-ph\ as a boy's name is pronounced JOH-sef. It is of Hebrew origin, and the meaning of Joseph is "Jehovah increases". Biblical: the son of Jacob who, sold by his brothers into slavery, rose to become a supreme power in Egypt. Also Jesus' earthly father, a carpenter. Jos?see Jose) (hoh-ZAY) is a Spanish form. See also Joe. Actors Josef Sommer, Joseph Fiennes; writers Joseph Conrad, Joseph Wambaugh; revolutionary Che Guevara; painter Joseph M. W. Turner.

Joseph has 43 variant forms: Che, Giuseppe, Giuseppino, Iosef, Iosep, Iosif, Iosip, Jessop, Jessup, Jo, Jodi, Jodie, Jody, Joey, Joop, Joos, Jose, Josef, Joseito, Joselito, Josep, Josip, Josif, Josephe, Josephus, Joss, Josue, Joszef, Jozef, Osip, Pepe, Pepito, Peppi, Pino, Pipo, Sepp, Seppi, Yousef, Yusif, Yussuf, Yusuf, Yusup and Yuszef.