gender neutral
Joshua
God is salvation, Jehovah saves
About Joshua
Enduring and beloved, Joshua has maintained remarkable popularity across centuries for excellent reasons. This name combines biblical significance with contemporary relevance, appealing to families of various backgrounds and beliefs. Joshua offers built-in versatility through numerous nickname options—Josh, Joshy, or the full formal version for different occasions. The name suggests kindness, leadership, and moral strength, qualities many parents hope their son will embody. Its familiarity means people immediately know how to spell and pronounce it, eliminating constant corrections. Joshua works seamlessly across all life stages, from adorable infant to respected professional. The name has been chosen by countless accomplished individuals in every field imaginable, providing abundant role models. Parents who select Joshua often value tradition and proven choices over experimental alternatives. While common, Joshua never feels boring—it maintains fresh appeal through its pleasant sound and positive associations. The name creates connections with others who share it while remaining distinctly personal to each individual who bears it.
Popularity of the Name Joshua
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #212 | ||||
| 1881 | #249 | ||||
| 1882 | #236 | ||||
| 1883 | #202 | ||||
| 1884 | #266 | ||||
| 1885 | #254 | ||||
| 1886 | #229 | ||||
| 1887 | #247 | ||||
| 1888 | #247 | ||||
| 1889 | #300 | ||||
| 1890 | #365 | ||||
| 1891 | #354 | ||||
| 1892 | #285 | ||||
| 1893 | #377 | ||||
| 1894 | #383 | ||||
| 1895 | #343 | ||||
| 1896 | #354 | ||||
| 1897 | #348 | ||||
| 1898 | #299 | ||||
| 1899 | #380 | ||||
| 1900 | #371 | ||||
| 1901 | #400 | ||||
| 1902 | #530 | ||||
| 1903 | #459 | ||||
| 1904 | #502 | ||||
| 1905 | #557 | ||||
| 1906 | #427 | ||||
| 1907 | #460 | ||||
| 1908 | #460 | ||||
| 1909 | #493 | ||||
| 1910 | #401 | ||||
| 1911 | #449 | ||||
| 1912 | #508 | ||||
| 1913 | #492 | ||||
| 1914 | #530 | ||||
| 1915 | #473 | ||||
| 1916 | #584 | ||||
| 1917 | #523 | ||||
| 1918 | #553 | ||||
| 1919 | #506 | ||||
| 1920 | #544 | ||||
| 1921 | #564 | ||||
| 1922 | #572 | ||||
| 1923 | #541 | ||||
| 1924 | #596 | ||||
| 1925 | #606 | ||||
| 1926 | #613 | ||||
| 1927 | #572 | ||||
| 1928 | #563 | ||||
| 1929 | #731 | ||||
| 1930 | #647 | ||||
| 1931 | #614 | ||||
| 1932 | #562 | ||||
| 1933 | #571 | ||||
| 1934 | #575 | ||||
| 1935 | #666 | ||||
| 1936 | #575 | ||||
| 1937 | #608 | ||||
| 1938 | #727 | ||||
| 1939 | #571 | ||||
| 1940 | #628 | ||||
| 1941 | #633 | ||||
| 1942 | #596 | ||||
| 1943 | #659 | ||||
| 1944 | #602 | ||||
| 1945 | #615 | ||||
| 1946 | #608 | ||||
| 1947 | #570 | ||||
| 1948 | #589 | ||||
| 1949 | #490 | ||||
| 1950 | #536 | ||||
| 1951 | #529 | ||||
| 1952 | #525 | ||||
| 1953 | #551 | ||||
| 1954 | #523 | ||||
| 1955 | #470 | ||||
| 1956 | #490 | ||||
| 1957 | #467 | ||||
| 1958 | #477 | ||||
| 1959 | #441 | ||||
| 1960 | #455 | ||||
| 1961 | #423 | ||||
| 1962 | #436 | ||||
| 1963 | #417 | ||||
| 1964 | #409 | ||||
| 1965 | #352 | ||||
| 1966 | #340 | ||||
| 1967 | #314 | ||||
| 1968 | #271 | ||||
| 1969 | #197 | ||||
| 1970 | #150 | ||||
| 1971 | #80 | #168 | |||
| 1972 | #59 | #145 | |||
| 1973 | #42 | #113 | |||
| 1974 | #29 | #73 | #307 | ||
| 1975 | #26 | #63 | #360 | ||
| 1976 | #18 | #70 | |||
| 1977 | #14 | #57 | |||
| 1978 | #12 | #51 | |||
| 1979 | #9 | #28 | |||
| 1980 | #7 | #32 | #307 | ||
| 1981 | #6 | #27 | #310 | ||
| 1982 | #7 | #23 | |||
| 1983 | #5 | #14 | #356 | ||
| 1984 | #4 | #11 | #228 | ||
| 1985 | #4 | #9 | #213 | ||
| 1986 | #4 | #9 | #346 | ||
| 1987 | #4 | #8 | #175 | ||
| 1988 | #4 | #5 | #203 | ||
| 1989 | #4 | #4 | #147 | ||
| 1990 | #4 | #6 | #147 | ||
| 1991 | #4 | #4 | #115 | #9 | |
| 1992 | #4 | #5 | #106 | #12 | |
| 1993 | #4 | #6 | #105 | #9 | |
| 1994 | #4 | #3 | #74 | #9 | |
| 1995 | #5 | #1 | #72 | #6 | |
| 1996 | #5 | #1 | #61 | #7 | |
| 1997 | #5 | #6 | #1 | #57 | #5 |
| 1998 | #4 | #6 | #1 | #52 | #4 |
| 1999 | #4 | #4 | #1 | #44 | #4 |
| 2000 | #4 | #4 | #1 | #34 | #2 |
| 2001 | #4 | #4 | #1 | #28 | #3 |
| 2002 | #3 | #2 | #1 | #20 | #3 |
| 2003 | #3 | #2 | #1 | #17 | #5 |
| 2004 | #3 | #2 | #1 | #22 | #7 |
| 2005 | #3 | #2 | #2 | #26 | #7 |
| 2006 | #3 | #3 | #2 | #27 | #8 |
| 2007 | #4 | #4 | #2 | #29 | #11 |
| 2008 | #4 | #5 | #5 | #27 | #15 |
| 2009 | #6 | #5 | #5 | #30 | #14 |
| 2010 | #11 | #7 | #6 | #36 | #15 |
| 2011 | #14 | #10 | #2 | #33 | #17 |
| 2012 | #17 | #11 | #16 | #41 | #22 |
| 2013 | #21 | #12 | #17 | #42 | #25 |
| 2014 | #25 | #13 | #30 | #38 | #30 |
| 2015 | #33 | #16 | #26 | #48 | #40 |
| 2016 | #35 | #15 | #29 | #44 | #37 |
| 2017 | #38 | #15 | #20 | #50 | #39 |
| 2018 | #40 | #17 | #38 | #52 | #55 |
| 2019 | #48 | #21 | #34 | #55 | #54 |
| 2020 | #53 | #26 | #37 | #57 | #62 |
| 2021 | #58 | #30 | #47 | #67 | #77 |
| 2022 | #60 | #38 | #68 | #72 | #78 |
| 2023 | #60 | #40 | #67 | #76 | #77 |
| 2024 | #57 | #50 | #52 | #76 | #84 |
| 2025 | #66 | #52 | #48 | #84 | #91 |
Top names by country: United States · United Kingdom · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Joshua
Names Similar to Joshua
Nicknames for Joshua
- Josh
- Joshie
- Jo
- Jojo
- Joss
Famous People Named Joshua
| Joshua Jackson | Canadian actor |
| Joshua Bell | American violinist |
| Joshua Tree | Lead singer of U2 |
| Joshua Redman | American jazz saxophonist |
| Joshua Reynolds | English painter |
| Joshua Malina | American actor |
| Joshua Oppenheimer | American film director |
| Joshua Radin | American singer-songwriter |
| Joshua Sasse | British actor |
| Joshua Chamberlain | American Civil War hero |
| Joshua Kushner | American businessman |
| Joshua Dallas | American actor |
| Joshua Morrow | American actor |
| Joshua Hopkins | Canadian opera singer |
| Joshua Micah Marshall | American journalist |
| Joshua Hill | British athlete |
| Joshua Wong | Canadian Paralympian |
| Joshua Boyle | Canadian journalist |
| Joshua Logan | American film director |
Characters Named Joshua
| Joshua Graham | Fallout - New Vegas |
| Joshua Nolan | Defiance |
| Joshua Faraday | The Magnificent Seven |
| Joshua Smith | Heavy Rain |
| Joshua Meadows | The Hunger Games |
| Joshua "Josh" Lyman | The West Wing |
| Joshua "Josh" Nichols | Drake & Josh |
| Joshua "Josh" Washington | Until Dawn |
| Joshua "Josh" Futturman | Future Man |
| Joshua Christopher | Tomorrow, When the War Began |
| Joshua Connor Grant | The Secret Life of Us |
| Joshua Green | Desperate Housewives |
| Joshua Ushiromiya | Umineko no Naku Koro ni |
| Joshua Rumble | The King of Queens |
| Joshua Archer | The Archers |
| Joshua Peck | EastEnders |
| Joshua Levinson | House of Cards |
| Joshua Lee "Josh" Holloway | Lost |
| Joshua "Josh" Wheaton | God's Not Dead |
| Joshua Baskin | Big |