Joshua
Joshua is a given name derived from the Hebrew יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, prominently belonging to Joshua, an early Hebrew leader of the Exodus period who has a major role in several books of the Bible. In later periods, a common alternative form of the name was Yeshua which corresponds to the Greek spelling Ἰησοῦς (Iesous), from which, through the Latin Iesus, comes the English spelling Jesus.
- English
- Biblical
Meaning & Origin of Joshua
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Joshua is a given name derived from the Hebrew יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, prominently belonging to Joshua, an early Hebrew leader of the Exodus period who has a major role in several books of the Bible. In later periods, a common alternative form of the name was Yeshua which corresponds to the Greek spelling Ἰησοῦς (Iesous), from which, through the Latin Iesus, comes the English spelling Jesus.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Biblical
The Story of Joshua
Joshua first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 57 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1989, when 44,099 Joshuas were born — ranking #4 that year. As of 2026, Joshua ranks #64 for baby boys with 4,912 births, falling sharply (-25%). In total, more than 1.3M Joshuas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Joshua
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Joshua. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Joshua
Phonetically similar names — useful when Joshua is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Joshua
What does the name Joshua mean?
What is the origin of the name Joshua?
How popular is Joshua in 2026?
When was Joshua most popular?
In which U.S. states is Joshua most popular?
Is Joshua a unisex name?
What names go well with Joshua?
What are nicknames or variants of Joshua?
About the name Joshua
Joshua is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 1.3M births in the dataset. Joshua's peak popularity came in 1989 when it ranked #3. Use the chart and map above to compare Joshua's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1989 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.