Józef

Józef is a masculine given name used primarily in Poland. It is the Polish form of Joseph, derived from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning “God will increase.” The name has been in use since medieval times and appears in Polish Christian tradition through Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus.

In Poland, Józef remains a common name among men born in the late 19th and 20th centuries, and it is also used by Polish communities abroad. The name day for Józef is March 19, the feast of Saint Joseph in the Western Christian calendar.

Diminutives of Józef include Józio and Józek, among others. In international contexts the name appears in variants such as Josef or Joseph, with further language-specific forms like José in Spanish and Giuseppe in Italian.

Notable people named Józef include Józef Piłsudski (1867–1935), a key figure in Polish independence and the leader of the Second Polish Republic; Józef Beck (1895–1944), the Polish foreign minister in the 1930s; and Józef Kraszewski (1812–1887), a prolific writer and historian. The name has been borne by numerous figures in Polish politics, science, literature, and culture, reflecting its long-standing presence in Polish onomastics.

The name Józef remains part of Polish heritage and is used in civil records, religious contexts, and cultural references, while also existing in diaspora communities around the world.