| Ethan | Joseph | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Strong, enduring | God shall add |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | EE-thun | JOH-zef |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1882 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2004 (22,210) | 1956 (32,749) |
| In 2025 | 7,852 | 7,303 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ethan | Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 50,594 | 46,334 |
| 2010s | 149,111 | 115,722 |
| 2000s | 201,835 | 194,962 |
| 1990s | 66,930 | 260,751 |
| 1980s | 10,490 | 299,411 |
| 1970s | 5,301 | 244,825 |
| 1960s | 1,601 | 283,048 |
| 1950s | 553 | 300,012 |
| 1940s | 254 | 230,285 |
| 1930s | 225 | 180,566 |
| 1920s | 233 | 243,809 |
| 1910s | 184 | 179,300 |
| 1900s | 17 | 35,173 |
| 1890s | 31 | 29,000 |
| 1880s | 30 | 26,292 |
Ethan comes from the Hebrew for “firm, enduring, strong.” In the Bible, Ethan the Ezrahite was noted for his wisdom.
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.
Ethan is more popular than Joseph today: about 7,852 US babies were given the name Ethan in 2025, compared with 7,303 named Joseph.
Ethan means Strong, enduring (Hebrew origin), while Joseph means God shall add (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Ethan first appears in 1882 and Joseph in 1880, so Joseph has the longer recorded history.