| Joseph | Jacob | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | God shall add | Supplanter |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | JOH-zef | JAY-kub |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1956 (32,749) | 1998 (36,031) |
| In 2025 | 7,303 | 6,152 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Joseph | Jacob |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 46,334 | 45,178 |
| 2010s | 115,722 | 163,321 |
| 2000s | 194,962 | 274,077 |
| 1990s | 260,751 | 298,415 |
| 1980s | 299,411 | 124,254 |
| 1970s | 244,825 | 36,351 |
| 1960s | 283,048 | 5,075 |
| 1950s | 300,012 | 5,400 |
| 1940s | 230,285 | 4,853 |
| 1930s | 180,566 | 5,264 |
| 1920s | 243,809 | 9,047 |
| 1910s | 179,300 | 8,684 |
| 1900s | 35,173 | 2,191 |
| 1890s | 29,000 | 2,551 |
| 1880s | 26,292 | 3,566 |
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.
Jacob comes from the Hebrew Yaakov, linked to “heel” and read as “supplanter.” The patriarch Jacob’s twelve sons founded the tribes of Israel; the same name gives us James.
Joseph is more popular than Jacob today: about 7,303 US babies were given the name Joseph in 2025, compared with 6,152 named Jacob.
Joseph means God shall add (Hebrew origin), while Jacob means Supplanter (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Joseph first appears in 1880 and Jacob in 1880, so Joseph has the longer recorded history.