Fun Facts About the Name Joe
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 453,238 boys named Joe from 1880 through 2025.
- A favorite of earlier generations: Joe appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 92 years. Its last run lasted 1 consecutive years, from 1972 through 1972.
- More than 464 thousand babies named Joe: U.S. records list 464,556 babies given the name Joe from 1880 through 2025. Even 11,318 girls received the name Joe - about 1 girl for every 40 boys.
What Does the Name Joe Mean?
Joe is an English short form of Joseph. Joseph comes from the Hebrew name Yosef (יוֹסֵף), which is related to the verb yasaf, meaning "to add" or "to increase." The customary English meaning is "God will increase" or "may God add," with God understood as the one who adds. The Hebrew name passed into Greek as Ioseph and into Latin as Josephus; the short form Joe developed in English from the longer name. Its literal root sense is "he will add" or "may he add," while the customary interpretation supplies God as the subject. The spelling Joe is chiefly masculine; the similar feminine short form is usually Jo, which comes from names such as Joanna or Josephine.
Joe Name History & Origins
Joseph is a biblical name. In the Hebrew Bible, Joseph is the son of Jacob and Rachel, and his story occupies the final chapters of Genesis. In the New Testament, Joseph is the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Through those figures the name Joseph was used by Jews and Christians and spread widely in Europe. English inherited it through Latin and French. From the longer name, English speakers formed the familiar short form Joe, along with Joey. Joe has also been used as an independent given name, not only as a nickname. It appears in common phrases such as GI Joe for a U.S. soldier and average Joe for an ordinary man. In literature, Joe Gargery is the kind blacksmith in Charles Dickens's Great Expectations (1861), and Joe Harper appears in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876); these are well-known uses of an already existing name, not its origin.
How Popular is the Name Joe?
Joe ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1880 through 1970, then returned in 1972 and remained through 1972.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | #18,900 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #14,324 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #15,200 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #12,793 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #7,822 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #8,356 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #12,472 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #11,085 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #8,351 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #8,240 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #7,536 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #5,147 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1988 | #4,381 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1987 | #4,181 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1986 | #3,686 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1985 | #3,561 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1984 | #3,653 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1983 | #3,867 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1982 | #4,082 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1981 | #2,681 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1980 | #3,901 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1979 | #3,022 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 1978 | #2,328 | 39 | 0.0025% |
| 1977 | #2,173 | 43 | 0.0028% |
| 1976 | #2,404 | 34 | 0.0023% |
| 1975 | #2,180 | 39 | 0.0027% |
| 1974 | #1,830 | 48 | 0.0033% |
| 1973 | #1,865 | 45 | 0.0031% |
| 1972 | #1,659 | 54 | 0.0035% |
| 1971 | #1,649 | 56 | 0.0034% |
| 1970 | #1,482 | 68 | 0.0039% |
| 1969 | #1,391 | 69 | 0.0041% |
| 1968 | #1,227 | 80 | 0.0049% |
| 1967 | #1,407 | 62 | 0.0038% |
| 1966 | #1,099 | 92 | 0.0054% |
| 1965 | #1,235 | 77 | 0.0044% |
| 1964 | #1,165 | 90 | 0.0047% |
| 1963 | #1,130 | 94 | 0.0049% |
| 1962 | #1,070 | 102 | 0.0052% |
| 1961 | #1,052 | 109 | 0.0054% |
| 1960 | #942 | 129 | 0.0064% |
| 1959 | #826 | 154 | 0.0076% |
| 1958 | #798 | 159 | 0.0079% |
| 1957 | #763 | 172 | 0.0084% |
| 1956 | #686 | 196 | 0.0098% |
| 1955 | #694 | 183 | 0.0094% |
| 1954 | #620 | 215 | 0.0111% |
| 1953 | #648 | 191 | 0.0102% |
| 1952 | #672 | 174 | 0.0094% |
| 1951 | #613 | 196 | 0.0109% |
| 1950 | #591 | 204 | 0.0119% |
| 1949 | #568 | 217 | 0.0127% |
| 1948 | #586 | 203 | 0.0120% |
| 1947 | #566 | 227 | 0.0128% |
| 1946 | #532 | 220 | 0.0140% |
| 1945 | #528 | 193 | 0.0148% |
| 1944 | #507 | 202 | 0.0152% |
| 1943 | #488 | 230 | 0.0165% |
| 1942 | #480 | 236 | 0.0175% |
| 1941 | #461 | 226 | 0.0187% |
| 1940 | #454 | 217 | 0.0190% |
| 1939 | #428 | 249 | 0.0227% |
| 1938 | #433 | 239 | 0.0217% |
| 1937 | #434 | 226 | 0.0212% |
| 1936 | #413 | 243 | 0.0234% |
| 1935 | #429 | 224 | 0.0214% |
| 1934 | #399 | 265 | 0.0254% |
| 1933 | #406 | 250 | 0.0248% |
| 1932 | #421 | 244 | 0.0229% |
| 1931 | #430 | 228 | 0.0214% |
| 1930 | #418 | 249 | 0.0221% |
| 1929 | #447 | 218 | 0.0195% |
| 1928 | #472 | 212 | 0.0184% |
| 1927 | #459 | 231 | 0.0194% |
| 1926 | #476 | 212 | 0.0179% |
| 1925 | #570 | 158 | 0.0130% |
| 1924 | #610 | 151 | 0.0121% |
| 1923 | #614 | 143 | 0.0119% |
| 1922 | #590 | 149 | 0.0124% |
| 1921 | #631 | 137 | 0.0111% |
| 1920 | #618 | 134 | 0.0112% |
| 1919 | #615 | 130 | 0.0115% |
| 1918 | #668 | 114 | 0.0098% |
| 1917 | #700 | 97 | 0.0090% |
| 1916 | #679 | 101 | 0.0097% |
| 1915 | #612 | 114 | 0.0116% |
| 1914 | #664 | 77 | 0.0101% |
| 1913 | #662 | 62 | 0.0099% |
| 1912 | #610 | 65 | 0.0116% |
| 1911 | #645 | 45 | 0.0108% |
| 1910 | #658 | 42 | 0.0106% |
| 1909 | #588 | 43 | 0.0124% |
| 1908 | #685 | 32 | 0.0096% |
| 1907 | #696 | 30 | 0.0094% |
| 1906 | #546 | 42 | 0.0142% |
| 1905 | #675 | 28 | 0.0096% |
| 1904 | #895 | 17 | 0.0062% |
| 1903 | #672 | 25 | 0.0095% |
| 1902 | #608 | 30 | 0.0114% |
| 1901 | #940 | 13 | 0.0054% |
| 1900 | #617 | 33 | 0.0110% |
| 1899 | #775 | 18 | 0.0077% |
| 1898 | #760 | 20 | 0.0077% |
| 1897 | #634 | 24 | 0.0102% |
| 1896 | #975 | 12 | 0.0050% |
| 1895 | #583 | 27 | 0.0116% |
| 1894 | #618 | 23 | 0.0103% |
| 1893 | #588 | 24 | 0.0113% |
| 1892 | #935 | 11 | 0.0052% |
| 1891 | #580 | 21 | 0.0113% |
| 1890 | #589 | 20 | 0.0105% |
| 1889 | #611 | 18 | 0.0101% |
| 1888 | #519 | 24 | 0.0134% |
| 1887 | #765 | 10 | 0.0069% |
| 1886 | #590 | 15 | 0.0104% |
| 1885 | #642 | 12 | 0.0090% |
| 1884 | #626 | 12 | 0.0093% |
| 1883 | #490 | 16 | 0.0142% |
| 1882 | #482 | 15 | 0.0139% |
| 1881 | #559 | 10 | 0.0109% |
| 1880 | #879 | 5 | 0.0055% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #994 | 230 | 0.0135% |
| 2024 | #883 | 272 | 0.0159% |
| 2023 | #908 | 256 | 0.0150% |
| 2022 | #895 | 262 | 0.0150% |
| 2021 | #794 | 310 | 0.0177% |
| 2020 | #728 | 337 | 0.0195% |
| 2019 | #707 | 350 | 0.0195% |
| 2018 | #697 | 347 | 0.0191% |
| 2017 | #685 | 365 | 0.0197% |
| 2016 | #619 | 434 | 0.0229% |
| 2015 | #597 | 460 | 0.0240% |
| 2014 | #568 | 490 | 0.0255% |
| 2013 | #555 | 476 | 0.0252% |
| 2012 | #527 | 498 | 0.0263% |
| 2011 | #490 | 536 | 0.0282% |
| 2010 | #453 | 592 | 0.0309% |
| 2009 | #453 | 606 | 0.0306% |
| 2008 | #410 | 724 | 0.0355% |
| 2007 | #402 | 732 | 0.0353% |
| 2006 | #368 | 814 | 0.0396% |
| 2005 | #370 | 799 | 0.0400% |
| 2004 | #346 | 823 | 0.0415% |
| 2003 | #327 | 899 | 0.0455% |
| 2002 | #310 | 922 | 0.0475% |
| 2001 | #302 | 965 | 0.0497% |
| 2000 | #315 | 919 | 0.0468% |
| 1999 | #295 | 972 | 0.0506% |
| 1998 | #285 | 1,011 | 0.0529% |
| 1997 | #276 | 1,013 | 0.0537% |
| 1996 | #265 | 1,059 | 0.0559% |
| 1995 | #260 | 1,078 | 0.0566% |
| 1994 | #243 | 1,203 | 0.0623% |
| 1993 | #231 | 1,255 | 0.0640% |
| 1992 | #220 | 1,393 | 0.0697% |
| 1991 | #213 | 1,464 | 0.0725% |
| 1990 | #210 | 1,459 | 0.0710% |
| 1989 | #195 | 1,493 | 0.0746% |
| 1988 | #187 | 1,472 | 0.0769% |
| 1987 | #184 | 1,488 | 0.0797% |
| 1986 | #173 | 1,537 | 0.0835% |
| 1985 | #170 | 1,590 | 0.0860% |
| 1984 | #167 | 1,592 | 0.0882% |
| 1983 | #163 | 1,614 | 0.0900% |
| 1982 | #149 | 1,872 | 0.1032% |
| 1981 | #149 | 1,860 | 0.1038% |
| 1980 | #140 | 1,990 | 0.1115% |
| 1979 | #136 | 1,965 | 0.1141% |
| 1978 | #128 | 2,039 | 0.1242% |
| 1977 | #128 | 2,122 | 0.1291% |
| 1976 | #117 | 2,170 | 0.1383% |
| 1975 | #116 | 2,239 | 0.1434% |
| 1974 | #113 | 2,346 | 0.1492% |
| 1973 | #105 | 2,522 | 0.1618% |
| 1972 | #100 | 2,825 | 0.1742% |
| 1971 | #101 | 3,150 | 0.1781% |
| 1970 | #90 | 3,569 | 0.1921% |
| 1969 | #83 | 3,617 | 0.2023% |
| 1968 | #85 | 3,523 | 0.2027% |
| 1967 | #85 | 3,717 | 0.2131% |
| 1966 | #74 | 4,333 | 0.2430% |
| 1965 | #71 | 4,834 | 0.2599% |
| 1964 | #62 | 5,821 | 0.2921% |
| 1963 | #58 | 6,377 | 0.3140% |
| 1962 | #60 | 6,792 | 0.3283% |
| 1961 | #60 | 7,058 | 0.3323% |
| 1960 | #57 | 7,313 | 0.3430% |
| 1959 | #57 | 7,388 | 0.3461% |
| 1958 | #56 | 7,067 | 0.3330% |
| 1957 | #57 | 6,766 | 0.3136% |
| 1956 | #63 | 6,126 | 0.2896% |
| 1955 | #68 | 5,853 | 0.2842% |
| 1954 | #67 | 5,874 | 0.2881% |
| 1953 | #66 | 5,797 | 0.2939% |
| 1952 | #63 | 5,891 | 0.3031% |
| 1951 | #57 | 5,825 | 0.3094% |
| 1950 | #54 | 6,033 | 0.3370% |
| 1949 | #52 | 6,535 | 0.3684% |
| 1948 | #47 | 7,287 | 0.4153% |
| 1947 | #43 | 7,904 | 0.4320% |
| 1946 | #37 | 7,535 | 0.4640% |
| 1945 | #36 | 6,626 | 0.4923% |
| 1944 | #33 | 7,062 | 0.5182% |
| 1943 | #35 | 7,307 | 0.5120% |
| 1942 | #33 | 7,383 | 0.5346% |
| 1941 | #30 | 7,158 | 0.5828% |
| 1940 | #28 | 7,216 | 0.6225% |
| 1939 | #27 | 7,188 | 0.6494% |
| 1938 | #28 | 7,439 | 0.6707% |
| 1937 | #25 | 7,744 | 0.7260% |
| 1936 | #23 | 8,023 | 0.7735% |
| 1935 | #25 | 7,554 | 0.7254% |
| 1934 | #26 | 7,089 | 0.6865% |
| 1933 | #27 | 6,412 | 0.6467% |
| 1932 | #29 | 6,690 | 0.6407% |
| 1931 | #29 | 6,456 | 0.6210% |
| 1930 | #27 | 6,873 | 0.6263% |
| 1929 | #30 | 6,596 | 0.6132% |
| 1928 | #30 | 6,682 | 0.6033% |
| 1927 | #30 | 6,542 | 0.5805% |
| 1926 | #33 | 6,338 | 0.5707% |
| 1925 | #34 | 6,107 | 0.5473% |
| 1924 | #35 | 6,044 | 0.5336% |
| 1923 | #35 | 6,003 | 0.5477% |
| 1922 | #35 | 6,089 | 0.5596% |
| 1921 | #36 | 6,204 | 0.5633% |
| 1920 | #35 | 6,071 | 0.5704% |
| 1919 | #35 | 5,709 | 0.5825% |
| 1918 | #34 | 5,805 | 0.5728% |
| 1917 | #35 | 5,142 | 0.5556% |
| 1916 | #35 | 4,911 | 0.5517% |
| 1915 | #38 | 4,648 | 0.5477% |
| 1914 | #34 | 3,712 | 0.5669% |
| 1913 | #37 | 2,806 | 0.5474% |
| 1912 | #36 | 2,515 | 0.5850% |
| 1911 | #29 | 1,449 | 0.6412% |
| 1910 | #25 | 1,553 | 0.7997% |
| 1909 | #23 | 1,292 | 0.7878% |
| 1908 | #24 | 1,209 | 0.7834% |
| 1907 | #23 | 1,177 | 0.8016% |
| 1906 | #25 | 1,020 | 0.7660% |
| 1905 | #23 | 1,024 | 0.7740% |
| 1904 | #23 | 959 | 0.7485% |
| 1903 | #24 | 895 | 0.7507% |
| 1902 | #23 | 955 | 0.7786% |
| 1901 | #27 | 756 | 0.7101% |
| 1900 | #22 | 1,179 | 0.7835% |
| 1899 | #24 | 780 | 0.7344% |
| 1898 | #29 | 827 | 0.6741% |
| 1897 | #26 | 798 | 0.7077% |
| 1896 | #27 | 767 | 0.6415% |
| 1895 | #28 | 763 | 0.6500% |
| 1894 | #28 | 741 | 0.6401% |
| 1893 | #28 | 721 | 0.6419% |
| 1892 | #23 | 819 | 0.6711% |
| 1891 | #29 | 584 | 0.5771% |
| 1890 | #28 | 682 | 0.6143% |
| 1889 | #25 | 709 | 0.6412% |
| 1888 | #23 | 789 | 0.6529% |
| 1887 | #21 | 685 | 0.6755% |
| 1886 | #21 | 759 | 0.6851% |
| 1885 | #25 | 681 | 0.6317% |
| 1884 | #22 | 759 | 0.6632% |
| 1883 | #26 | 607 | 0.5802% |
| 1882 | #23 | 739 | 0.6500% |
| 1881 | #23 | 639 | 0.6343% |
| 1880 | #20 | 731 | 0.6616% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
