THe boy's name Joel is a different name from the better-known Joseph, though they may have a common root. Like Joseph it is an ancient name found in the Bible - for instance, it was the name of a prophet in the 6th century BC. The two syllables of the name are derived from "Yah" (Yahweh) or God, and "El", another word for God. It was a very religious name as it implied that there was only one God, Yahweh or Jehovah ("Yahweh is God").
It has always been a popular Jewish name; in the US it was very common among the early Puritan settlers, and is still sometimes used today (Joel Gray is an example.) In Britain it has never been much used.
There is a female form, Joelle, though this is rare in the English-speaking world. There is an even rarer variant, Joely, as in the actress Joely Richardson.
It has always been a popular Jewish name; in the US it was very common among the early Puritan settlers, and is still sometimes used today (Joel Gray is an example.) In Britain it has never been much used.
There is a female form, Joelle, though this is rare in the English-speaking world. There is an even rarer variant, Joely, as in the actress Joely Richardson.
