Jozef

Meaning of Jozef

Jozef, a masculine appellation deriving from the Hebrew Yosef—“He will add”—and transmitted through the Latin Iosephus, finds its most vivid expression in Slavic cultures (Polish, Slovak) and the Dutch-speaking world, where it is pronounced YO-zef (/jəˈzɛf/) and YOH-zef (/joˈzɛf/) respectively. Steeped in biblical pedigree—from the Old Testament patriarch Jacob’s son to the New Testament’s humble guardian of Jesus—Jozef conveys themes of providential increase, steadfast piety and familial stewardship. In the United States it occupies a niche of quiet distinction: over the past decade it has been conferred on roughly a dozen to two dozen newborn boys annually, securing a position around the 900th rank among male given names. This steady, specialized usage underscores Jozef’s appeal to parents who seek a name that marries classical gravitas with an undercurrent of esoteric charm.