Joshua
Joshua is a boy's name of Hebrew origin.
Meaning
Yahweh is salvation or God saves.
Origin and history
Joshua is a classic masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning 'the Lord is salvation'. It has ancient biblical roots and became an extraordinarily popular given name in the United States during the late 20th century. Today, it remains a well-established and widely chosen choice for American boys.
Popularity in the United States
1,248,929 babies in the United States have been named Joshua since 1880. It ranks #23 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #58.
States where it is most popular
- CA (11.1 %)
- TX (8.1 %)
- NY (5.4 %)
- FL (5 %)
- OH (4.6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 465 |
| 1890-1900 | 287 |
| 1900-1910 | 243 |
| 1910-1920 | 926 |
| 1920-1930 | 1,143 |
| 1930-1940 | 948 |
| 1940-1950 | 1,156 |
| 1950-1960 | 2,221 |
| 1960-1970 | 5,326 |
| 1970-1980 | 140,318 |
| 1980-1990 | 396,524 |
| 1990-2000 | 329,192 |
| 2000-2010 | 232,053 |
| 2010-2019 | 106,273 |
| 2020-2029 | 31,854 |
Famous people named Joshua
- Joshua Jackson: Actor
- Joshua Bell: Violinist, Musician
- Joshua Allen: Athlete
Nicknames
Josh, Joshy
Fun facts
- The name shares its etymological origin with the name Jesus, both deriving from the Hebrew name Yehoshua.
- Joshua was a top-10 name for American boys for over two decades, from the late 1970s into the 2000s.