Boy
Josh
God is salvation
About Josh
Friendly and immediately approachable, Josh embodies casual confidence and natural ease. This streamlined name gets straight to the point, eliminating unnecessary complexity while retaining complete substance. The single syllable packs personality and presence into minimal space, demonstrating that impact doesn't require length. Josh works universally well, crossing social, professional, and cultural boundaries without hesitation. It suggests someone easygoing yet capable, friendly yet focused—though naturally each Josh defines these qualities individually. Parents selecting Josh appreciate its straightforward nature and proven track record across decades of use. The name never feels dated despite its familiarity, maintaining fresh appeal through its essential simplicity. Josh pairs excellently with longer, more formal middle and last names, providing nice balance in full-name combinations. It transitions seamlessly from childhood through adulthood, never requiring adjustment or formality shifts. The name's widespread recognition becomes an advantage, creating immediate connection and understanding. For families valuing accessibility, warmth, and uncomplicated strength, Josh delivers timeless appeal without pretension or complexity, making it a reliably solid choice.
Popularity of the Name Josh
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #300 | ||||
| 1881 | #356 | ||||
| 1882 | #504 | ||||
| 1883 | #321 | ||||
| 1884 | #341 | ||||
| 1885 | #371 | ||||
| 1886 | #317 | ||||
| 1887 | #443 | ||||
| 1888 | #381 | ||||
| 1889 | #385 | ||||
| 1890 | #364 | ||||
| 1891 | #404 | ||||
| 1892 | #408 | ||||
| 1893 | #471 | ||||
| 1894 | #473 | ||||
| 1895 | #364 | ||||
| 1896 | #412 | ||||
| 1897 | #418 | ||||
| 1898 | #424 | ||||
| 1899 | #467 | ||||
| 1900 | #461 | ||||
| 1901 | #460 | ||||
| 1902 | #529 | ||||
| 1903 | #458 | ||||
| 1904 | #527 | ||||
| 1905 | #580 | ||||
| 1906 | #694 | ||||
| 1907 | #574 | ||||
| 1908 | #495 | ||||
| 1909 | #584 | ||||
| 1910 | #610 | ||||
| 1911 | #554 | ||||
| 1912 | #685 | ||||
| 1913 | #784 | ||||
| 1914 | #874 | ||||
| 1916 | #848 | ||||
| 1918 | #955 | ||||
| 1936 | #933 | ||||
| 1952 | #974 | ||||
| 1953 | #941 | ||||
| 1958 | #910 | ||||
| 1959 | #675 | ||||
| 1960 | #692 | ||||
| 1961 | #674 | ||||
| 1962 | #757 | ||||
| 1963 | #730 | ||||
| 1964 | #775 | ||||
| 1965 | #728 | ||||
| 1966 | #735 | ||||
| 1967 | #723 | ||||
| 1968 | #652 | ||||
| 1969 | #564 | ||||
| 1970 | #511 | ||||
| 1971 | #450 | ||||
| 1972 | #420 | ||||
| 1973 | #387 | ||||
| 1974 | #345 | ||||
| 1975 | #362 | ||||
| 1976 | #393 | ||||
| 1977 | #399 | ||||
| 1978 | #371 | ||||
| 1979 | #339 | ||||
| 1980 | #371 | ||||
| 1981 | #442 | ||||
| 1982 | #492 | ||||
| 1983 | #487 | ||||
| 1984 | #535 | ||||
| 1985 | #561 | ||||
| 1986 | #601 | ||||
| 1987 | #593 | ||||
| 1988 | #612 | ||||
| 1989 | #681 | #340 | #290 | ||
| 1990 | #698 | #310 | |||
| 1991 | #755 | #460 | |||
| 1992 | #774 | #297 | #284 | #471 | |
| 1993 | #766 | #266 | #694 | ||
| 1994 | #813 | #274 | #218 | #457 | |
| 1995 | #791 | #236 | #209 | #512 | |
| 1996 | #843 | #184 | #216 | #414 | |
| 1997 | #782 | #90 | #158 | #139 | #482 |
| 1998 | #875 | #85 | #123 | #115 | #438 |
| 1999 | #791 | #93 | #118 | #102 | #559 |
| 2000 | #820 | #101 | #89 | #90 | #412 |
| 2001 | #715 | #83 | #119 | #81 | #331 |
| 2002 | #676 | #69 | #132 | #63 | #318 |
| 2003 | #698 | #78 | #130 | #58 | #269 |
| 2004 | #663 | #86 | #111 | #58 | #284 |
| 2005 | #751 | #96 | #121 | #56 | #298 |
| 2006 | #715 | #103 | #147 | #67 | #315 |
| 2007 | #726 | #111 | #161 | #63 | #408 |
| 2008 | #810 | #107 | #269 | #75 | #367 |
| 2009 | #976 | #121 | #246 | #65 | #433 |
| 2010 | #143 | #310 | #70 | #430 | |
| 2011 | #156 | #286 | #77 | #506 | |
| 2012 | #184 | #415 | #78 | #418 | |
| 2013 | #191 | #354 | #90 | #415 | |
| 2014 | #200 | #265 | #85 | #505 | |
| 2015 | #248 | #94 | #469 | ||
| 2016 | #258 | #415 | #78 | #559 | |
| 2017 | #286 | #110 | #427 | ||
| 2018 | #294 | #105 | #546 | ||
| 2019 | #372 | #99 | #602 | ||
| 2020 | #357 | #130 | #739 | ||
| 2021 | #421 | #140 | #604 | ||
| 2022 | #512 | #145 | #680 | ||
| 2023 | #576 | #111 | #727 | ||
| 2024 | #619 | #157 | #724 | ||
| 2025 | #619 | #191 | #810 |
Top names by country: United States · United Kingdom · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Josh
Names Similar to Josh
Nicknames for Josh
- Joshua
- Jo
- Joshie
- Jojo
- Joss
Famous People Named Josh
| Josh Brolin | American actor |
| Josh Hutcherson | American actor |
| Josh Groban | American singer |
| Josh Duhamel | American actor |
| Josh Radnor | American actor |
| Josh Hartnett | American actor |
| Josh Dallas | American actor |
| Josh Peck | American actor |
| Josh Charles | American actor |
| Josh Holloway | American actor |
| Josh Donaldson | Canadian baseball player |
| Josh Reddick | American baseball player |
| Josh Beckett | American former baseball player |
| Josh Allen | American football player |
| Josh Rosen | American football player |
| Josh Gad | American actor |
| Josh Bowman | British actor |
| Josh Taylor | Australian actor |
| Josh Kennedy | Australian rules footballer |
| Josh Franceschi | British singer |
Characters Named Josh
| Josh Lyman | The West Wing |
| Josh Nichols | Drake & Josh |
| Josh Chan | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend |
| Josh Futturman | Future Man |
| Josh Washington | Until Dawn - Video Game |
| Josh Levison | Being Human |
| Josh McGrath | Max Steel |
| Josh Wheaton | God's Not Dead |
| Josh Kovacs | Tower Heist |
| Joshamee Gibbs | Pirates of the Caribbean |
| Josh Randall | Wanted - Dead or Alive |
| Josh Framm | Air Bud |
| Josh Avery | One Tree Hill |
| Josh Bryant | Parenthood |
| Josh Barkin | An American Tail |
| Josh Sanderson | The Hating Game |