Joshua
From Biblical Hebrew יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshúa'), perhaps from הוֹשֵׁעַ (Hoshéa') with addition of יהוה (YHWH, “Yahweh”), thus meaning "Yahweh is salvation".
Every Joshua since 1880 — 1,253,882 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Joshua
Joshua is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #66 in 2025 with 4,773 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 1,253,882 American babies have been named Joshua. Its peak came in 1989, when 44,308 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Joshua stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Joshua year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 4,773 | #66 |
| 2024 | 8 | #11,590 | 5,268 | #57 |
| 2023 | 6 | #14,219 | 5,070 | #60 |
| 2022 | 6 | #14,381 | 5,197 | #60 |
| 2021 | — | — | 5,531 | #58 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,660 | 6,015 | #53 |
| 2019 | 10 | #10,082 | 6,631 | #48 |
| 2018 | — | — | 7,446 | #40 |
| 2017 | 12 | #9,033 | 8,353 | #38 |
| 2016 | 18 | #6,768 | 9,258 | #35 |
| 2015 | 18 | #6,847 | 9,850 | #33 |
| 2014 | 16 | #7,466 | 10,929 | #25 |
| 2013 | 13 | #8,792 | 11,861 | #21 |
| 2012 | 18 | #6,992 | 12,681 | #17 |
| 2011 | 25 | #5,448 | 13,797 | #14 |
| 2010 | 13 | #8,950 | 15,467 | #11 |
| 2009 | 24 | #5,789 | 17,671 | #6 |
| 2008 | 25 | #5,645 | 19,231 | #4 |
| 2007 | 39 | #4,014 | 20,669 | #4 |
| 2006 | 31 | #4,626 | 22,336 | #3 |
| 2005 | 43 | #3,479 | 23,261 | #3 |
| 2004 | 120 | #1,624 | 24,214 | #3 |
| 2003 | 45 | #3,261 | 25,106 | #3 |
| 2002 | 46 | #3,116 | 25,998 | #3 |
| 2001 | 48 | #2,984 | 26,024 | #4 |
| 2000 | 54 | #2,724 | 27,543 | #4 |
| 1995 | 62 | #2,169 | 30,720 | #5 |
| 1990 | 166 | #1,068 | 43,237 | #4 |
| 1985 | 276 | #658 | 42,194 | #4 |
| 1980 | 222 | #748 | 36,052 | #7 |
| 1975 | 92 | #1,243 | 14,567 | #26 |
| 1970 | 10 | #5,206 | 2,175 | #150 |
| 1965 | — | — | 461 | #352 |
| 1960 | — | — | 314 | #455 |
| 1955 | — | — | 245 | #471 |
| 1950 | — | — | 160 | #537 |
| 1945 | — | — | 97 | #615 |
| 1940 | — | — | 90 | #628 |
| 1935 | — | — | 80 | #666 |
| 1930 | — | — | 90 | #647 |
| 1925 | — | — | 109 | #606 |
| 1920 | — | — | 128 | #544 |
| 1915 | — | — | 136 | #473 |
| 1910 | — | — | 44 | #401 |
| 1905 | — | — | 18 | #557 |
| 1900 | — | — | 36 | #371 |
| 1895 | — | — | 29 | #343 |
| 1890 | — | — | 24 | #365 |
| 1885 | — | — | 43 | #254 |
| 1880 | — | — | 57 | #212 |
Famous people named Joshua
- Joshua Religious figure · -1355–-1245
- Joshua Reynolds Painter · 1723–1792
- Joshua Lederberg Biologist · 1925–2008
- Joshua Slocum Explorer · 1844–1909
- Joshua the High Priest Religious figure
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Joshua mean?
From Biblical Hebrew יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshúa'), perhaps from הוֹשֵׁעַ (Hoshéa') with addition of יהוה (YHWH, “Yahweh”), thus meaning "Yahweh is salvation".
How popular is the name Joshua in 2025?
Joshua ranked #66 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 4,773 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Joshua?
1,253,882 babies have been named Joshua in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Joshua most popular?
Joshua peaked in 1989, when 44,308 newborns received the name.
Is Joshua a boy or girl name?
Joshua is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Joshua rising or falling?
Joshua is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Joshua?
Well-known people named Joshua include Joshua (religious figure), Joshua Reynolds (painter), Joshua Lederberg (biologist).