Joshua Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Joshua is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Joshua?
Joshua is spelled J-O-S-H-U-A. The name has 6 letters.
Joshua at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- Joshua means “Yahweh is salvation” or “The Lord is my salvation” in Hebrew.
- Origin
- Joshua is derived from the Hebrew name Yehoshua, which is composed of elements meaning “Yahweh” and “to save.”
- Pronunciation
- JOH-shoo-uh · 3 syllables
Joshua Popularity in 2025
Rank#66
Recorded Births4,773
- Boys usage fell 9 places to #66 and recorded 495 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Joshua Mean?
Joshua means “Yahweh is salvation” or “The Lord is my salvation” in Hebrew.
Origin: Joshua is derived from the Hebrew name Yehoshua, which is composed of elements meaning “Yahweh” and “to save.”
How Do You Pronounce Joshua?
PronunciationJOH-shoo-uh
Syllables3
What Is the History of the Name Joshua?
- History
- The name Joshua is associated with a biblical figure who succeeded Moses and led the Israelites into the Promised Land, as mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.
Joshua Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2012 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 4,773 | #66 |
| 2024 | Girls | 8 | #11,122 |
| 2024 | Boys | 5,268 | #57 |
| 2023 | Girls | 6 | #13,462 |
| 2023 | Boys | 5,070 | #60 |
| 2022 | Girls | 6 | #13,592 |
| 2022 | Boys | 5,197 | #60 |
| 2021 | Boys | 5,531 | #58 |
| 2020 | Girls | 9 | #10,250 |
| 2020 | Boys | 6,015 | #53 |
| 2019 | Girls | 10 | #9,736 |
| 2019 | Boys | 6,631 | #48 |
| 2018 | Boys | 7,446 | #40 |
| 2017 | Girls | 12 | #8,776 |
| 2017 | Boys | 8,353 | #38 |
| 2016 | Girls | 18 | #6,663 |
| 2016 | Boys | 9,258 | #35 |
| 2015 | Girls | 18 | #6,721 |
| 2015 | Boys | 9,850 | #33 |
| 2014 | Girls | 16 | #7,302 |
| 2014 | Boys | 10,929 | #25 |
| 2013 | Girls | 13 | #8,580 |
| 2013 | Boys | 11,861 | #21 |
| 2012 | Girls | 18 | #6,872 |
When Was Joshua Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1989 · Boys
44,100 recorded births
National rank #4
1990 · Boys
43,237 recorded births
National rank #4
1988 · Boys
42,653 recorded births
National rank #4
1985 · Boys
42,194 recorded births
National rank #4
Where Joshua Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| MD | #24 | 129 |
| DC | #25 | 22 |
| DE | #35 | 20 |
| FL | #50 | 365 |
| NC | #53 | 188 |
| NJ | #53 | 168 |
| MS | #53 | 41 |
| GA | #54 | 179 |