约瑟夫，源于希伯来语יוֹסֵף，译自 יהוה להוסיף，根据《希伯来圣经》，其意思是“上帝将提升”。在阿拉伯语（包括《古兰经》）中为يوسف ，**人中常用为玉素甫。西班牙语、葡萄牙语为José，意大利语为Giuseppe，英语、法语、德语中为Joseph。昵称中男名有Joe和Joey，女名为Jo，有时拼写为Jos。

由于在英语Joseph及意大利语Giuseppe中，ph与ppe为气音；西班牙语、葡萄牙语中，José无「f」音，故英语称为约瑟夫或约瑟；西班牙语称为何塞；葡萄牙语称为若泽。

José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: in Spanish [xoˈse] and in Portuguese [ʒuˈzɛ] (or [ʒoˈzɛ]). In French, the name José, pronounced [ʒoˈze], is an old vernacular form of Joseph, which is also in current usage as a given name. José is also commonly used as part of male name composites, such as José Manuel, José Maria or Antonio José, and also in female name composites like Maria José or Marie-José. José is also a Belgian Dutch male given name, pronounced [ʒoːˈzeː], and for which the female written form is Josée as in French. In Netherlandic Dutch however, José is a female given name, and is pronounced [ˈjoːseː]; it may occur as part of name composites like Marie-José or as a female first name in its own right; it can also be short for the name Josina and even a Dutch hypocorism of the name Johanna.