Meaning & History
Joses is the Greek form of Joseph used in the New Testament. It appears as a variant of Joseph, used to identify several individuals, most notably one of the brothers of Jesus (Mark 6:3) and a second figure associated with Mary of Clopas (Mark 15:40). In Acts 4:36, Joses is given as the original name of Barnabas, the companion of Paul. Linguistically, Joses derives from the Greek Ἰωσῆς (Ioses), a shortened form of Ἰωσήφ (Joseph). Unlike the indeclinable Greek “Joseph,” Joses behaves like a standard Greek name, taking inflected forms such as Ἰωσῆτος in the genitive case.
The name was used in the English Bible (e.g., the King James Version) to translate these Greek instances, thereby distinguishing these individuals from the more famous Joseph of Nazareth. Over time, Joses faded from common use but remains familiar to readers of the Bible.
- Meaning: “He will add” (via Joseph)
- Origin: Greek form of Hebrew Joseph
- Type: Biblical name
- Usage regions: English Bible; early Christian texts
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Joses