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Joel

Joel is a boy's name of Hebrew and Biblical origin meaning “Yahweh is God.” In 2024 it was given to 1,633 boys in the United States.

Joel at a glance

Gender
Boy name
Origin
Biblical & Christian · English & American · Spanish · Scandinavian
Meaning
“Yahweh is God”
Pronunciation
/ˈd͡ʒoʊ(ə)l/

About the name Joel

Joel belongs to the Biblical & Christian and English & American tradition. Its meaning — “Yahweh is God” — is the sense carried by its Hebrew and Biblical roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page.

In the United States, Joel first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #65 in 1981, and in 2024 1,633 babies received the name — 277,996 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Joel in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#65 in 1981
Peak year
1985
Babies named Joel in 2024
1,633
Total since 1880
277,996

Similar names

More names from the Biblical & Christian shelf:

JamesHebrew and BiblicalJohnHebrew and BiblicalMichaelHebrew and BiblicalDavidHebrew and BiblicalJosephHebrew and BiblicalThomasHebrew and BiblicalDanielHebrew and BiblicalMatthewHebrew and Biblical

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Joel mean?

Joel means “Yahweh is God” in its Hebrew and Biblical roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Joel a boy or girl name?

Joel is a boy name. In 2024, 1,633 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Joel?

Joel comes from the Biblical & Christian, English & American, Spanish and Scandinavian tradition.

How popular is the name Joel?

Joel first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #65 in 1981, and 1,633 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Joel?

Joel is pronounced /ˈd͡ʒoʊ(ə)l/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.