Yossi

Meaning of Yossi

Yossi is a masculine Hebrew given name that originates as the familiar diminutive of Yosef—derived from the biblical Hebrew יוסף (Yosef), whose etymology is conventionally interpreted as “He will add” or “God will increase.” Phonologically, it is realized in English and Hebrew alike as YO-see (/joʊsi/), with its initial palatal approximant [j] leading into an open-mid back rounded vowel [o], and concluding on a stressed high front vowel [i]. Within Israeli society and Jewish diaspora communities, Yossi functions as an affectionate truncation that preserves both the semantic resonance of its scriptural antecedent—the patriarch Joseph of the Hebrew Bible—and the cultural continuity of Hebrew naming traditions. In the United States, it has sustained a modest yet consistent presence, appearing in Social Security Administration data with annual occurrences ranging from six to forty-nine newborns and ranking in the mid-800s over the past decade, a pattern indicative of its niche adoption by parents seeking a name that embodies robust historical significance while accommodating contemporary Anglo-American usage.