Yusuf is the Arabic and Qur’anic form of Joseph, from the Hebrew Yosef, usually explained as “he will add” or “God will increase”. It is the name of the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him), whose life fills Surah Yusuf, the twelfth chapter of the Qur’an. In 2025 Yusuf was joint 64th among boys’ names in England and Wales.
What does Yusuf mean?
Yusuf goes back to the Hebrew Yosef, from a root meaning “to add” or “to increase”. In Genesis, his mother names him with the hope that God will add another son (Genesis 30:24). Arabic took the name as Yūsuf, and it reaches English as Joseph, Spanish as José and Turkish as Yusuf too. Muslims love the name above all for the Prophet who carried it.
How do you pronounce Yusuf?
Say YOO-suf, with the stress on the first syllable and a short “u” at the end, like the “oo” in “book”. In Turkish and Persian the stress often moves to the end: yoo-SUF.
How do you spell Yusuf? Spellings and variants
- Yusuf: the most common UK spelling and closest to the Arabic.
- Yousuf, Yousef, Yusef, Youssef (common in North Africa) and Yosef (Hebrew).
- Joseph, the English form of the same name.
How popular is Yusuf in the UK?
Yusuf has been climbing steadily. In 2025, 798 boys in England and Wales were named Yusuf, up from 762 the year before, putting it joint 64th with Musa. Its English cousin Joseph was 59th.
| Spelling | Rank in 2025 | Babies in 2025 | Change since 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yusuf | 64 | 798 | up 3 places |
| Yousef | 422 | 95 | down 10 places |
| Yousuf | 529 | 73 | down 65 places |
| Joseph (English form) | 59 | 811 | down 3 places |
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him)
Allah calls Yusuf’s story “the best of stories” (12:3), and it is the only Prophet’s story told in one continuous surah. As a boy, Yusuf dreamed that eleven stars, the sun and the moon bowed to him (12:4). His jealous brothers threw him into a well (12:15), and he was sold into slavery in Egypt. He stayed honest when he was tempted, was thrown into prison unjustly, and there explained the dreams of two fellow prisoners and later of the king (12:36–49).
Freed and trusted, he took charge of Egypt’s food stores through seven years of plenty and seven of famine. When his brothers came begging for grain, he forgave them: “No blame will there be upon you today. May Allah forgive you” (12:92). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) called him “the noble son of the noble son of the noble son of the noble”: Yusuf, son of Ya’qub, son of Ishaq, son of Ibrahim (Sahih al-Bukhari 3390).
Yusuf teaches patience (sabr), honesty and forgiveness. Our guide to teaching kids Islamic values uses his story to explain forgiveness.
Yusuf and the Hudhud book
Yusuf is the name of the hero in our sample book, Yusuf & Hudhud: A Journey Through the Stories of the Prophets. In every real book, the child’s own name replaces “Yusuf” in the title and all through the story, so a child called Yusuf gets a book that looks just like the sample, but with his own illustrated likeness. The Prophet Yusuf’s story is not one of the five in the book; the journey visits Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad (peace be upon them). You can read Yusuf’s story with your child alongside it: see our stories of the Prophets for kids.
What middle names go with Yusuf?
- Yusuf Ibrahim, linking him to his great-grandfather
- Yusuf Ali
- Yusuf Zayn
- Yusuf Adam
- Yusuf Rayyan
- Muhammad Yusuf, with Yusuf as the everyday name
What are nicknames for Yusuf?
Yus and Yusi are common, and some boys called Yusuf go by Joe at school.
What are good sibling names for Yusuf?
Sources and further reading
Frequently asked questions
What does Yusuf mean in Islam?
Yusuf is the Arabic form of Joseph, from the Hebrew Yosef, “He will add” or “God will increase”. Muslims choose it for the Prophet Yusuf, known for his patience, honesty and forgiveness.
Is Yusuf in the Qur’an?
Yes. Surah Yusuf, the twelfth surah, tells his whole story, from his childhood dream to his forgiveness of his brothers, and Allah calls it “the best of stories” (12:3). He is also named in 6:84 and 40:34.
Is Yusuf a popular name in the UK?
Yes, and rising. In 2025, 798 boys were named Yusuf in England and Wales, up from 762, making it joint 64th with Musa (ONS). That is about 1 in 377 boys born that year.
Is Yusuf the same name as Joseph?
Yes. Yusuf, Yousef, Joseph and José are all forms of the same Hebrew name, Yosef. The Prophet Yusuf in the Qur’an is the Joseph of the Bible.
Is Yusuf a lucky name?
Islam does not teach that names bring luck; the Prophet rejected bad omens and liked a good word instead (Sahih al-Bukhari 5776). Yusuf is chosen for the Prophet himself, whom the Prophet Muhammad called “the noble son of the noble son of the noble son of the noble” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3390).
What are nicknames for Yusuf?
Yus and Yusi are the usual nicknames, and some boys called Yusuf go by Joe at school.
What are good middle names for Yusuf?
Yusuf Ibrahim (after his great-grandfather), Yusuf Ali, Yusuf Zayn, Yusuf Adam and Yusuf Rayyan are popular, as is Muhammad Yusuf, with Yusuf as the everyday name.
Why is the Hudhud sample book about Yusuf?
Yusuf is the name of the sample hero. In each real book the child’s own name and likeness replace Yusuf in the title and throughout the story.