Given name & surname
Joe
“God will add”·“God shall add”·“jehovah is God; God is willing”
In English use, Joe is a diminutive of Joseph. Yosef means “God shall add,” traditionally understood as a hope that God would add another son to the family. In English use, Joe is a diminutive of Joel. One Hebrew interpretation is “jehovah is God; God is willing.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Joe carries the interpretation “God will add.” In English use, Joe is a diminutive of Joseph. Yosef means “God shall add,” traditionally understood as a hope that God would add another son to the family. In English use, Joe is a diminutive of Joel. One Hebrew interpretation is “jehovah is God; God is willing.” In English use, Joe is a diminutive of Josiah. Interpretations include “God heals” (Hebrew) and “God will help” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions. In English use, Joe has a related form in Jo. In English use, Jo carries the interpretation “God will add.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In English use, Joe is used as a shortened form of Joseph. In English use, Joe is a diminutive of Joseph. The shared background comes through Joseph: The English and French name continues the biblical Hebrew form Yosef. The idea of adding is part of the name’s original family context, rather than a later personality interpretation.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Joe is a diminutive of Joseph. The history of Joseph gives this family its wider story. In Genesis, Joseph is Jacob’s son who is taken to Egypt and later reconciled with his brothers. In the New Testament, Joseph is also the husband of Mary, giving the name a distinct place in Christian tradition. In English use, Joe is a diminutive of Josiah. The history of Josiah gives this family its wider story. In biblical tradition, Josiah is the name of a king of Judah.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Joe through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 464,574
- 453,255 boys · 11,319 girls
- Most popular year
- 1936
- 8,266 babies
- 2025
- 230
- #994 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −27%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 230 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 994 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 27.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 8,023 in 1936. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (60). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 275,876 as a first name in 2020; 10,128 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Joe’s family of names
In English usage, Joe is a diminutive of Joseph. In English usage, Joe has a related form in Josephine. Joe is a short form of Joseph.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Joe has relatives in 33 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 14
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Josephfull form · English
- Josiahfull form · English
- Josephinevariant · English
- Joelfull form · English
- Jolenevariant · English
- Joeydiminutive · English
- Josiasfull form · English
- Joievariant
Show 6 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 49
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Gioequivalent · Italian
- JohannesGerman
- CheSpanish
- Iosifequivalent
- Zefequivalent · Albanian
- PepeSpanish
- PeppinoItalian
- PinoItalian
Show 41 moreShow fewer
- Jóiequivalent
- Йосипequivalent
- Pepìnequivalent
- Bèpeequivalent
- Sèppequivalent
- Джоborrowing · Russian, Ukrainian
- ΓιάννηςGreek
- JoséPortuguese, Spanish
- Eòsequivalent · Scottish Gaelic
- Jóskaequivalent · Hungarian
- Keōborrowing · Hawaiian
- Yosypequivalent
- Иосифequivalent
- Joeffreyequivalent
- GiâuVietnamese
- ҶоTajik
- PepitoSpanish
- JožoSlovak
- ЏоSerbo-Croatian, Macedonian
- О́сяRussian
- Ио́сяRussian
- ЁсяRussian
- ZéPortuguese
- JózioPolish
- جوPersian
- DžoLatvian
- ЖоKyrgyz
- 조Korean
- ジョーJapanese
- BeppeItalian
- PeppeItalian
- जोHindi
- ג׳וHebrew
- יוסיHebrew
- ΤζοGreek
- ჯოGeorgian
- PepíkCzech
- 祖Cantonese
- জোBengali
- ՋոArmenian
- جُوArabic
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Joe
- Joe Biden46th President of the United States (2021–2025)born 1942
- Joe FrazierAmerican boxer (1944–2011)
- Joe PesciAmerican actorborn 1943
- Joe HartEnglish association football playerborn 1987
- Joe LouisAmerican boxer (1914-1981)
- Roman ReignsAmerican professional wrestlerborn 1985
- Joe JonasAmerican singer, actor and musicianborn 1989
- Joe AlaskeyAmerican actor (1952–2016)
- Joe ColeEnglish association football player (born 1981)
Characters named Joe: Joe Swanson (the animated series Family Guy), Joe Kido (Digimon), Immortan Joe (antagonist of Mad Max: Fury Road), Joe Higashi (Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Joe, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ray
“a wise protector” · “son of grace”
93% boys · 7% girls
Jupp
“God shall add”
>99% boys
Jimmy
“he who supplants” · “she who supplants”
>99% boys
Josef
“God shall add”
>99% boys
Ysmael
“God will listen”
>99% boys
Jozef
“God shall add”
>99% boys
Jimmie
“he who supplants” · “she who supplants”
92% boys · 8% girls
Alfred
“one who counsels the elves”
>99% boys