Meaning
Josef is the German, Czech, Slovak and Scandinavian form of Joseph. German speakers pronounce it YO-zef, much closer to the Hebrew original than English Joseph.
Nicknames
Sepp and Seppi in Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland; Pepi in Austria; Pepa in Czech. Sepp is so tied to the Alps that it practically comes with a hat.
Famous Josefs
Composer Joseph Haydn was born Franz Joseph in Austria, and painter Josef Albers, a Bauhaus teacher, became famous for his series of nested coloured squares.
Across Central Europe
The name was a favourite of the Habsburg emperors, including Joseph II and Franz Joseph I, which helped make it one of the most common names in the old Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Fun factSepp is three letters shorter than Yousef and still gets the job done. Respect.