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The short answer
Joel is a masculine name used in English and Spanish. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the Hebrew name יוֹאֵל (Yoʾel) meaning ‘Yahweh is God’, from the elements יוֹ (yo) and אֵל (ʾel), both referring to the Hebrew God. Joel is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Joel, which describes a plague of locusts." It ranked #219 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the Hebrew name יוֹאֵל (Yoʾel) meaning ‘Yahweh is God’, from the elements יוֹ (yo) and אֵל (ʾel), both referring to the Hebrew God. Joel is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Joel, which describes a plague of locusts. The entry lists its usage as English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish and others.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Joel ranked #219 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #219 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Joel in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Joel mean?
Joel means "Yahweh is God", according to Behind the Name.
Is Joel a popular name?
Joel ranked #219 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Joel a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Joel appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Joel — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
