Joe
Short form (diminutive form) of various names beginning with Jo..., particularly the male names Joseph and, less often, Joel, Josiah and Josias.
Every Joe since 1880 — 464,574 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Joe
Joe is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #994 in 2025 with 230 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 464,574 American babies have been named Joe. Its peak came in 1936, when 8,266 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Joe stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Joe year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 230 | #994 |
| 2024 | — | — | 272 | #884 |
| 2023 | — | — | 256 | #909 |
| 2022 | — | — | 262 | #896 |
| 2021 | — | — | 310 | #794 |
| 2020 | — | — | 337 | #728 |
| 2019 | — | — | 350 | #707 |
| 2018 | — | — | 347 | #697 |
| 2017 | — | — | 365 | #685 |
| 2016 | — | — | 434 | #619 |
| 2015 | — | — | 460 | #597 |
| 2014 | — | — | 490 | #568 |
| 2013 | — | — | 476 | #555 |
| 2012 | — | — | 499 | #526 |
| 2011 | — | — | 536 | #490 |
| 2010 | — | — | 592 | #453 |
| 2009 | — | — | 607 | #453 |
| 2008 | — | — | 725 | #409 |
| 2007 | 5 | #18,902 | 732 | #402 |
| 2006 | — | — | 816 | #368 |
| 2005 | — | — | 800 | #370 |
| 2004 | — | — | 826 | #344 |
| 2003 | — | — | 899 | #327 |
| 2002 | — | — | 922 | #310 |
| 2001 | 6 | #14,325 | 965 | #302 |
| 2000 | — | — | 920 | #315 |
| 1995 | 10 | #8,356 | 1,078 | #260 |
| 1990 | 11 | #7,537 | 1,460 | #210 |
| 1985 | 24 | #3,562 | 1,591 | #170 |
| 1980 | 20 | #3,901 | 1,990 | #140 |
| 1975 | 39 | #2,180 | 2,239 | #116 |
| 1970 | 68 | #1,482 | 3,570 | #90 |
| 1965 | 77 | #1,235 | 4,833 | #71 |
| 1960 | 130 | #935 | 7,314 | #57 |
| 1955 | 183 | #694 | 5,856 | #68 |
| 1950 | 204 | #591 | 6,033 | #54 |
| 1945 | 194 | #526 | 6,625 | #36 |
| 1940 | 217 | #454 | 7,216 | #28 |
| 1935 | 224 | #429 | 7,555 | #25 |
| 1930 | 249 | #418 | 6,873 | #27 |
| 1925 | 158 | #570 | 6,107 | #34 |
| 1920 | 134 | #618 | 6,071 | #35 |
| 1915 | 114 | #612 | 4,648 | #38 |
| 1910 | 42 | #658 | 1,553 | #25 |
| 1905 | 28 | #675 | 1,024 | #23 |
| 1900 | 33 | #617 | 1,179 | #22 |
| 1895 | 27 | #583 | 763 | #28 |
| 1890 | 20 | #589 | 682 | #28 |
| 1885 | 12 | #642 | 681 | #25 |
| 1880 | 5 | #879 | 731 | #20 |
Famous people named Joe
- Joe Biden Politician · b. 1942
- Joe Cocker Singer · 1944–2014
- Joe Pesci Actor · b. 1943
- Joe Frazier Boxer · 1944–2011
- Joe Dassin Singer · 1938–1980
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Joe mean?
Short form (diminutive form) of various names beginning with Jo..., particularly the male names Joseph and, less often, Joel, Josiah and Josias.
How popular is the name Joe in 2025?
Joe ranked #994 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 230 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Joe?
464,574 babies have been named Joe in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Joe most popular?
Joe peaked in 1936, when 8,266 newborns received the name.
Is Joe a boy or girl name?
Joe is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Joe rising or falling?
Joe is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Joe?
Well-known people named Joe include Joe Biden (politician), Joe Cocker (singer), Joe Pesci (actor).