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