| Daniel | Joseph | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | God is my judge | God shall add |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | DAN-yul | JOH-zef |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1985 (38,559) | 1956 (32,749) |
| In 2025 | 8,085 | 7,303 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Daniel | Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 52,726 | 46,334 |
| 2010s | 133,952 | 115,722 |
| 2000s | 203,975 | 194,962 |
| 1990s | 272,360 | 260,751 |
| 1980s | 345,537 | 299,411 |
| 1970s | 244,454 | 244,825 |
| 1960s | 242,020 | 283,048 |
| 1950s | 243,727 | 300,012 |
| 1940s | 112,778 | 230,285 |
| 1930s | 47,998 | 180,566 |
| 1920s | 43,407 | 243,809 |
| 1910s | 23,978 | 179,300 |
| 1900s | 5,036 | 35,173 |
| 1890s | 5,185 | 29,000 |
| 1880s | 5,679 | 26,292 |
Daniel is Hebrew for “God is my judge.” In the Bible, the prophet Daniel famously survived a night in the lions’ den.
Joseph comes from the Hebrew Yosef, “he will add” or “God will increase.” It is borne by Joseph of the coat of many colours and by St Joseph, husband of Mary.
Daniel is more popular than Joseph today: about 8,085 US babies were given the name Daniel in 2025, compared with 7,303 named Joseph.
Daniel means God is my judge (Hebrew origin), while Joseph means God shall add (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Daniel first appears in 1880 and Joseph in 1880, so Daniel has the longer recorded history.