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Islamic names

Yusuf, name meaning in Islam

Yusuf means Prophet Yusuf (Joseph). See it in Arabic, how to say it, where it is in the Quran and names like it.

Boy name · Hebrew (in the Quran)

يُوسُف

Yusuf

Prophet Yusuf (Joseph)

Gender
Boy
Origin
Hebrew (in the Quran)
Arabic
يُوسُف
Say it
YOO-suf
Root
None, not Arabic
In the Quran
Yes, 12:4

See more boy names starting with Y, or browse all Islamic names and save the ones you like.

Meaning

Yusuf, explained

Yusuf (يُوسُف) is a name for boys of Hebrew origin, used in the Quran. It means Prophet Yusuf (Joseph). It is the Arabic form of Joseph.

Is Yusuf in the Quran?

Surah Yusuf (12) tells his whole story, which Allah calls the best of stories.

Quran 12:4

إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًۭا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِى سَٰجِدِينَ

Iz qaala Yoosufu li abeehi yaaa abati innee ra aytu ahada 'ashara kawkabanw wash shamsa walqamara ra aytuhum lee saajideen

[Of these stories mention] when Joseph said to his father, "O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me."

Quran 12:4. Arabic: Uthmani text (Tanzil). English: Sahih International.

How to say and write Yusuf

Say it YOO-suf. The capital letters show the stressed part. In English it is also spelled Yousuf, Yousef and Joseph. In Arabic it is written with 4 letters, from right to left: ي ya + و waw + س sin + ف fa.

Choosing Yusuf

Naming a child after a prophet is a sunnah. When his son was born, the Prophet ﷺ said: "A boy was born to me tonight, and I named him after my father, Ibrahim."2 Yusuf keeps that tradition alive. With the father's name it becomes Yusuf bin (and the father's name): see what bin, bint and abu mean.

Famous people named Yusuf

  • Prophet Yusuf, son of Yaqub
  • Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, who freed Jerusalem in 1187
  • Abu Yusuf, the Hanafi judge

Names like Yusuf

  1. Quran 12:4, translation by Sahih International.
  2. Sahih Muslim 2315.
  3. Sahih Muslim 2132.
  4. Meanings follow classical Arabic usage and the standard name dictionaries; our teachers will check each one.

Our teachers will check the Arabic spelling and meaning on this page before launch.

Questions

Good to know

What does Yusuf mean in Islam?

Yusuf (يُوسُف) means Prophet Yusuf (Joseph). It is a name for boys of Hebrew origin, used in the Quran.

Is Yusuf in the Quran?

Surah Yusuf (12) tells his whole story, which Allah calls the best of stories.

Is Yusuf a boy or girl name?

Yusuf is used as a boy's name.

How do you write Yusuf in Arabic?

Yusuf is written يُوسُف in Arabic, said YOO-suf.

Is it Yusuf or Yousuf?

Both are English spellings of the same Arabic name, يُوسُف. Choose the one that is easiest to say where you live, and keep it the same on all documents.