National Joseph Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

Today, our honourable mentions go to all Josephs and Joseph variations across the globe. This name's popularity is well-deserved and stems from a long lineage.

National Joseph Day is observed on April 16 annually. It values the strong and classic name Joseph, whose origins can be traced back to the Old Testament of the Bible and a narrative about a young boy with eleven envious siblings and two doting parents. Josephs worldwide is a boon to us, as implied by the company’s very name. This Hebrew name is most prevalent in English-, French-, and German-speaking countries. Its meaning is “to add or increase.” Whether you call them Joe, Joey, Youssef, or even Josephine, today is the ideal time to recognise their contribution to your life.

The background of National Joseph Day

Today, our honourable mentions go to all Josephs and Joseph variations across the globe. This name’s popularity is well-deserved and stems from a long lineage. It was first recorded in the “Bible,” one of the most revered and inspiring books of all time.

The first record of this name, or more specifically its original Hebrew form, Yossef, is found in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. Believe it or not, he was given this name because his parents hoped God would bless them with yet another son. During a time when they were anxious for another child, he was a blessing. The infant was given the Hebrew name Yossef, which means “to add” or, more specifically, “Jehovah will add.”

Youssef was the eleventh of Jacob’s twelve sons and the first son of Rachel. He was the pride of his parents and the fruit of God’s eye, but a thorn in his siblings’ sides. Before his brothers sold him into slavery, he could have been readily identified by his multicoloured coat. As he acquired the trust of the Pharaoh and rose to become the second most powerful man in Egypt, his story was just beginning.

In the New Testament, we are introduced to two additional Josephs. Joseph of Arimathea is said to have transported the Holy Grail to England and assisted in preparing Jesus’ corpse for burial following his crucifixion. The second was the carpenter spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the biological father of Jesus Christ. Joseph remains one of America’s top 30, 10, and at one time top five names, even after a generation has passed. This powerful name has also been bestowed to numerous public officials and celebrities throughout history.

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NATIONAL JOSEPH DAY ACTIVITIES

Discover more about the earliest Josephs

The Josephs of the Bible are the earliest occurrences of the name Joseph. Today, honour them by learning more about their lives and stories. Start with Youssef, the first Joseph in the Old Testament, and work your way down to New Testament Josephs.

Learn the aliases

Who doesn’t adore a name with a multitude of amusing and captivating nicknames? Joe and Joey are two names that come to mind. Nevertheless, you can take time today to learn additional potential aliases. There are also nicknames associated with the various spellings of the name, so we are confident that you will learn something fascinating on this occasion.

Discover famous people

We have determined how prevalent the name Joseph is. Although it is not as ubiquitous today, it remains one of the most popular given names. Take the time to study about as many of the famous and influential people who currently bear this name as possible.

5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT JOSEPH

From 1925 to 1972, only two names remained in the top ten list of boys’ names in the United States: Joseph and Robert.

There are hundreds of variations of the name Joseph, including language-specific forms such as ‘Giuseppe’ in Italy and gender-specific forms such as Josephine.

Although Joseph’s popularity has declined since 1991, it was still the 26th most prevalent name in 2020.

There are more than 290,000 census records containing the surname Joseph.

There are more than 90,000 military records for the surname Joseph.