Joe
Say it: JOE
BoyMeans short form of Joseph, "God shall add"3 letters1 syllable
#152
in Ireland (2025)
#147 with spellings combined
34
babies in 2025
#117
best rank (2016)
1,108
babies since 1985
Up 2
10-year rank change
Joe through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | #147 |
| 2024 | 32 | #154 |
| 2023 | 25 | #196 |
| 2022 | 40 | #149 |
| 2021 | 47 | #138 |
| 2020 | 48 | #128 |
| 2019 | 47 | #128 |
| 2018 | 44 | #140 |
| 2017 | 49 | #127 |
| 2016 | 58 | #117 |
| 2015 | 42 | #149 |
| 2014 | 47 | #136 |
| 2013 | 44 | #143 |
| 2012 | 37 | #179 |
| 2011 | 48 | #147 |
| 2010 | 58 | #132 |
| 2009 | 51 | #137 |
| 2008 | 61 | #122 |
| 2007 | 41 | #149 |
| 2006 | 47 | #123 |
| 2005 | 39 | #134 |
| 2004 | 21 | #177 |
| 2003 | 26 | #152 |
| 2002 | 11 | #226 |
| 2001 | 26 | #143 |
| 2000 | 19 | #168 |
| 1999 | 12 | #197 |
| 1998 | 6 | #242 |
| 1997 | 11 | #224 |
| 1996 | 6 | #276 |
| 1995 | 7 | #241 |
| 1994 | 6 | #247 |
| 1993 | 5 | #275 |
| 1991 | 5 | #263 |
| 1990 | 5 | #256 |
| 1985 | 3 | #304 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Joe mean?
Short form of Joseph, "God shall add"
English short form of Joseph, from Hebrew Yosef.
Say it right
JOE
The story of Joe
Joe is a short form of Joseph, and now and then of other names beginning with Jo-, such as Joel or Josiah. Joseph comes from the Hebrew Yosef, which means “God shall add”. For girls the same short form is usually spelled Jo.
For a long time Joe was simply what people called a Joseph. Only in recent decades have Irish parents begun to register it as a full name.
Joe first reached the CSO list in 1985. It had the most babies in 2008, with 61 boys, and its best rank came in 2016, at number 117. These figures count only boys registered as Joe; a Joseph who is called Joe at home is counted under Joseph. In Northern Ireland its best place was number 88 in 2017.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Joe (English proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Joseph (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Joe (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Joey
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Joe | 34 | 1,108 |
In Northern Ireland
#185 in 2025 with 11 babies. Best rank #88 (2017); 465 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.