Yusuf means “Joseph (the prophet's name)”. It comes from Arabic. It is documented as a boy's name in Turkish, Uyghur and Bashkir and also used in Uzbek and Tatar.
- Yusuf is a name of Arabic and Hebrew origin.
- It is recorded for Turkish, Uyghur, Uzbek, Tatar and Bashkir.
- 2 syllables (counted from the spelling) and 5 letters.
What does Yusuf mean?
Literally: Arabic Yūsuf, the Qur'anic form of Joseph
Literal meaning
Yusuf is the Arabic form of Joseph, the patriarch known in Islam as a prophet. Wiktionary records it as a male name in Turkish and in Uyghur, where it is spelled يۈسۈپ (Yüsüp). Both entries trace it to Arabic Yūsuf.[1,3,4,5]
Yusuf in Turkish, Uyghur, Uzbek, Tatar and Bashkir
What does Yusuf mean in Turkish?
In Turkish the name is written Yusuf and Yusuf. No separate Turkish gloss is recorded, so the general meaning “Joseph (the prophet's name)” applies. It is recorded as a boy's name.[3,6]
Listed as a given name in the Turkish section of Wiktionary.
What does Yusuf mean in Uyghur?
In Uyghur the name is written يۈسۈپ, Yüsüp (ULY transliteration), yüsüp (ULY), Yüsüpjan and يۈسۈپجان. Here it is glossed as “increased, multiplied”[5]. It is recorded as a boy's name.[1,5]
Listed as a given name in the Uyghur section of Wiktionary.
What does Yusuf mean in Uzbek?
In Uzbek the name is written Yusuf and Юсуф (rule-based Latin-to-Cyrillic conversion). No separate Uzbek gloss is recorded, so the general meaning “Joseph (the prophet's name)” applies. It is recorded as a boy's name.
What does Yusuf mean in Tatar?
In Tatar the name is written Йосыф and Yusuf (common romanization). No separate Tatar gloss is recorded, so the general meaning “Joseph (the prophet's name)” applies. It is recorded as a boy's name.
What does Yusuf mean in Bashkir?
In Bashkir the name is written Йосоп, Yusuf (common romanization) and Yusup (Wiktionary romanization). No separate Bashkir gloss is recorded, so the general meaning “Joseph (the prophet's name)” applies. It is recorded as a boy's name.[4]
Where does the name Yusuf come from?
Arabic, borrowing. Wiktionary traces the name to Arabic يُوسُف.[4]✓ Documented
Arabic, borrowing. Borrowed from Arabic; the Turkish form came through Ottoman Turkish.[1,3]✓ Documented
Hebrew, borrowing. The Dictionary of Uyghur Names gives the origin as Hebrew.[5]✓ Documented
How do you pronounce Yusuf?
In IPA: [jʊ̞ˈsʊ̞p], as given in the cited dictionary entry.
Which languages use the name Yusuf?
Yusuf is used as a given name in Turkish, Uyghur, Uzbek, Tatar and Bashkir. Its origin is Arabic and Hebrew. The table shows for each language whether the use is documented by a cited source or comes from our editorial research.
Yusuf across Turkic languages
| Language | Spelling | Gender | Meaning in this language | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkish | YusufLatin YusufLatin | Boy | same as above: “Joseph (the prophet's name)” | Documented[3,6] |
| Uyghur | يۈسۈپArabic script YüsüpjanLatin, variant يۈسۈپجانArabic script, variant | Boy | “increased, multiplied” | Documented[1,5] |
| Uzbek | YusufLatin | Boy | same as above: “Joseph (the prophet's name)” | Editorial |
| Tatar | ЙосыфCyrillic | Boy | same as above: “Joseph (the prophet's name)” | Editorial |
| Bashkir | ЙосопCyrillic | Boy | same as above: “Joseph (the prophet's name)” | Documented[4] |
Similar spellings in different languages do not prove a shared origin: two languages can arrive at the same sound from different words. The origin section above states what the sources say.
Spelling variations of Yusuf
Forms are shown as recorded, in their original script. Romanizations and rule-based conversions are labelled with their system and are not presented as attested spellings.
| Form | Language | Script | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yusuf[3] | Turkish | Latin | Standard spelling |
| Yusuf | Turkish | Latin | Native spelling |
| يۈسۈپ[1,5] | Uyghur | Arabic script | Native spelling |
| Yüsüp[5] | Uyghur | Latin | Romanization (ULY transliteration) |
| yüsüp[1] | Uyghur | Latin | Romanization (ULY) |
| Yüsüpjan[5] | Uyghur | Latin | Variant (ULY transliteration) |
| يۈسۈپجان[5] | Uyghur | Arabic script | Variant |
| Yusuf | Uzbek | Latin | Native spelling |
| Юсуф | Uzbek | Cyrillic | Cyrillic transliteration (rule-based Latin-to-Cyrillic conversion) |
| Йосыф | Tatar | Cyrillic | Native spelling |
| Yusuf | Tatar | Latin | Romanization (common romanization) |
| Йосоп[4] | Bashkir | Cyrillic | Native spelling |
| Yusuf | Bashkir | Latin | Romanization (common romanization) |
| Yusup[4] | Bashkir | Latin | Romanization (Wiktionary romanization) |
Sibling names for Yusuf
Names recorded for the same languages that start with a different letter, so two children are not mixed up. Names that share a meaning theme or an element with Yusuf rank first. Siblings do not have to match; these are only ideas.
- Nu'manBoy“prosperous; blood”same language (turkish, uyghur)
- Bibi'a'isheGirl“lady like Aisha”same language (uyghur)
- NevriyeUnisex“relating to light”same language (turkish)
- DurgunBoy“calm, still”same language (turkish)
- SyluGirl“beautiful”same language (tatar, bashkir)
- AyjemileGirl“beautiful, pretty, good”same language (uyghur)
- NuşabeUnisex“water of immortality”same language (turkish)
- BenolBoy“beauty spot + be, become”same language (turkish)
Common questions about Yusuf
What does the name Yusuf mean?
Yusuf means “Joseph (the prophet's name)”. It comes from Arabic. It is documented as a boy's name in Turkish, Uyghur and Bashkir and also used in Uzbek and Tatar.
Is Yusuf a girl's or a boy's name?
Yusuf is recorded as a boy's name. By language: Turkish: boys; Uyghur: boys; Uzbek: boys; Tatar: boys; Bashkir: boys.
Where does Yusuf come from?
Yusuf is of Arabic and Hebrew origin according to our origin records. Read the origin section above for the sources.
Which languages use Yusuf?
Yusuf is recorded for Turkish, Uyghur, Uzbek, Tatar and Bashkir. The table shows each language's spelling, gender and evidence label, and a language is listed only when our data records the name for it.
How is Yusuf spelled in other scripts?
Recorded spellings: Yusuf (Latin), يۈسۈپ (Arabic script), Yüsüpjan (Latin), يۈسۈپجان (Arabic script), Йосыф (Cyrillic), Йосоп (Cyrillic). Romanizations and rule-based conversions are labelled as such in the spelling table.
How many syllables does Yusuf have?
Yusuf has 2 syllables by our approximate count of vowel groups in the spelling, and 5 letters. Pronunciation can differ by language.
Sources
Numbers in the text point to these sources. The descriptions on this page are written by our editors; source texts are not copied.
- Wiktionary contributors. Wiktionary entry “يۈسۈپ”. Wikimedia Foundation, revision 90960007. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Supports: Uyghur etymology derives the name from Arabic يوسف; classified as a male given name in Uyghur; يۈسۈپ appears as a Uyghur given name (masculine); Uyghur given-name entry written يۈسۈپ in Uyghur Arabic script (+1 more)
- Wiktionary contributors. Wiktionary entry “يوسف”. Wikimedia Foundation, revision 90954520. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Supports: Arabic يوسف is the name of Joseph, the Hebrew patriarch
- Wiktionary contributors. Wiktionary entry “Yusuf”. Wikimedia Foundation, revision 92526408. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Supports: classified as a male given name in Turkish; Yusuf appears as a Turkish given name (masculine); Turkish form inherited from the Ottoman Turkish spelling of the same Arabic word; Turkish given-name entry spelled Yusuf
- Wiktionary contributors. Wiktionary entry “Йосоп”. Wikimedia Foundation, revision 88380868. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Supports: classified as a male given name in the Bashkir section; IPA [jʊ̞ˈsʊ̞p]; listed as a male given name in the Bashkir section; etymology states: From Arabic يُوسُف (yūsuf) (+2 more)
- Uyghur Language. Dictionary of Uyghur Names. Uyghur Language (GitHub: uyghur-language/names), revision 075ed994f116b4b9e06c7d013b4fb880db679883. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: MIT License.
Supports: entry in the Dictionary of Uyghur Names; Uyghur gloss: يۈسۈپ پەيغەمبەرنىڭ ئىسمى. مەنىسى: كۆپەيتىلگەن; listed as a Uyghur given name (masculine); origin: Hebrew (+4 more)
- Wikidata contributors. Wikidata item Q17497922 (Yusuf, male given name). Wikimedia Foundation, revision 2550395387. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC0 1.0.
Supports: Wikidata records Turkish as language of the name (P407)
Suggest a correction
Found an error or have a better source? Suggestions are checked against the sources and never change the page automatically.