Zef

Zef is an Albanian masculine name functioning as the vernacular short form of the Latin Jozef, itself derived from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning he will add or God will increase. It entered Albanian usage through Roman Catholic influence, particularly in the northern highlands where Latin ecclesiastical names were adopted and adapted to local phonology. The name is closely associated with Albanian cultural and literary figures, most notably the 19th-century poet and nationalist Zef Jubani. Related forms include Josip, Josef, and Giuseppe across other European traditions.