Meaning
Iosif is the form of Joseph used in Russian (Иосиф), Romanian and Greek (Ιωσήφ). It stays close to the Greek Iōsēph of the Bible.
A Nobel-winning Iosif
The poet Iosif Brodsky, known in English as Joseph Brodsky, was born in Leningrad in 1940, emigrated to the United States in 1972, and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1987. He later served as U.S. Poet Laureate.
Everyday forms
In daily Russian the name is often Osip, as in the poet Osip Mandelstam. Osya is the affectionate nickname.
In Romania
Iosif is used in Romania alongside Iosef, and Iosefina for women.
Fun factOsip is what happens when Yousef goes to Moscow and keeps only the vowels he needs.