Yusuf
يُوسُفYusuf is a boy name of Arabic/Hebrew origin.
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Meaning of Yusuf
"God adds, God increases." Arabic form of Joseph. An entire sura of the Qur'an (Surah Yusuf, #12) tells his story — the son of Jacob sold into slavery, risen to power in Egypt, and reunited with his family.
Arabic root: Hebrew יוֹסֵף — (Yosef) — Arabized
Regional variants
"Yusuf" is the classical Qur'anic spelling preferred by religious-leaning US families; "Youssef" is common among Egyptian-Americans. Cross-Abrahamic bridge name — direct counterpart to Hebrew Yosef and English Joseph.
Popularity of Yusuf
10,110 U.S. births recorded from 1949–2023.
Prophet
Yūsuf
Yusuf is the prophet whose life story — betrayal by his brothers, servitude, imprisonment, rise to power in Egypt, and reunion with his family — fills Sura 12, described in the Qur’an as "the best of stories" (aḥsanu al-qaṣaṣ).
From the Qur’an
"When Yusuf said to his father, ‘O my father, indeed I have seen eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me.’"
"He said, ‘No blame will there be upon you today. Allah will forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful.’"
The entire Sura Yusuf (111 verses) is devoted to his story — the only sura in the Qur’an to tell one prophet’s narrative from beginning to end.
Variants & nicknames
Joseph / Yusuf / Yosef
The prophet Joseph, son of Jacob, sold into Egypt and risen to vizier. His story is told in Surah Yusuf (the Qur’an’s only chapter dedicated to a single prophet) and in Genesis 37–50.
Related guide
30 Quranic Baby Names for Boys and Girls (With Verses)
30 names drawn from the Qur’an — prophets, named and referenced women, and meaningful Arabic concepts — each with its verse reference and classical meaning.
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Famous people named Yusuf
- Yusuf Islam / Cat Stevens (musician)
- Yusuf Dikeç (Olympic shooter)
Similar names
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About this page
Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.