Josh

#1,699 for boys in 2025, 96 births

Peak · boys
#299
1880 · 31 births
Debut · boys
1880
31 births
In top 100 · boys
never
of 146 years
Total births · boys
17,288
since 1880

Josh over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Josh has never cracked the top 200 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201972peak #299, 1880boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yearboys
rankbirths
2025#1,69996
2024#1,73595
2023#1,80389
2022#1,76094
2021#1,658100
2020#1,67994
2019#1,606103
2018#1,513113
2017#1,373129
2016#1,539108
2015#1,396123
2014#1,143166
2013#1,180152
2012#1,109167
2011#1,050180
2010#1,082178
2009#973205
2008#809271
2007#724316
2006#715302
2005#751266
2004#663308
2003#698273
2002#676274
2001#714246
2000#821195
1999#790194
1998#871166
1997#782189
1996#844166
1995#793183
1994#814169
1993#767186
1992#775181
1991#759181
1990#700212
1989#684213
1988#611240
1987#593233
1986#600220
1985#559248
1984#534259
1983#487299
1982#492298
1981#442347
1980#371461
1979#339531
1978#371431
1977#399383
1976#393387
1975#361456
1974#345493
1973#386401
1972#420356
1971#449325
1970#510248
1969#563193
1968#649135
1967#723105
1966#734101
1965#724105
1964#77495
1963#730115
1962#758102
1961#674132
1960#691129
1959#674128
1958#90769
1957#1,04153
1956#1,03253
1955#1,06650
1954#1,04551
1953#93958
1952#96854
1951#1,12341
1950#1,13939
1949#1,02946
1948#1,04745
1947#1,14840
1946#1,04543
1945#1,12234
1944#1,12035
1943#1,39925
1942#1,24431
1941#1,18731
1940#1,20831
1939#1,14132
1938#1,12533
1937#1,03138
1936#92444
1935#1,12334
1934#1,03839
1933#1,20230
1932#1,05640
1931#1,25330
1930#1,36828
1929#1,15436
1928#1,04144
1927#1,11241
1926#1,01846
1925#1,02245
1924#1,03247
1923#99249
1922#99950
1921#1,19936
1920#1,03545
1919#1,06341
1918#94949
1917#1,00342
1916#84055
1915#99640
1914#87039
1913#77737
1912#68139
1911#54830
1910#59823
1909#57421
1908#48926
1907#55919
1906#67413
1905#57417
1904#51518
1903#45121
1902#52117
1901#45318
1900#45525
1899#45717
1898#41822
1897#41121
1896#40723
1895#35827
1894#46418
1893#45916
1892#40422
1891#39719
1890#35824
1889#37922
1888#37724
1887#43815
1886#31729
1885#36423
1884#33627
1883#31827
1882#48914
1881#34822
1880#29931
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Josh was already there! It came in at #299, and was given to 31 baby boys.

Quietest stretch: 1904–1907, when fewer than 20 boys a year got the name.

Where Josh is popular in 1972

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedNHWashington: #320 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 3,113 boysWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedIDMontana: #140 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 777 boysMTNorth Dakota: #136 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 771 boysNDMinnesota: #223 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,435 boysMNIllinois: #469 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 5,516 boysILWisconsin: #299 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 3,799 boysWIMichigan: #437 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 6,263 boysMINew York: #663 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 11,080 boysNYMassachusetts: #386 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 7,533 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedRIOregon: #201 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,452 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedIAIndiana: #318 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 3,470 boysINOhio: #372 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 5,086 boysOHPennsylvania: #417 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 7,197 boysPANew Jersey: #426 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 5,736 boysNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #313 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 2,422 boysCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedUTColorado: #222 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,509 boysCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedNEMissouri: #369 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 4,392 boysMOKentucky: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedWVVirginia: #452 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 6,674 boysVAMaryland: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedARTennessee: #372 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 4,589 boysTNNorth Carolina: #423 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 5,200 boysNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedOKLouisiana: #505 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 5,206 boysLAMississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedMSAlabama: #374 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 3,948 boysALGeorgia: #382 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 3,684 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Josh, so not publishedHITexas: #440 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 3,800 boysTXFlorida: #409 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 4,207 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. North Dakota#136 · 1 in 771
  2. Montana#140 · 1 in 777
  3. Oregon#201 · 1 in 1,452
  4. Colorado#222 · 1 in 1,509
  5. Minnesota#223 · 1 in 2,435

Best ever in a state: #99 in Florida, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
North Dakota#13661 in 771
Montana#14061 in 777
Oregon#201101 in 1,452
Colorado#222121 in 1,509
Minnesota#223111 in 2,435
Wisconsin#29981 in 3,799
California#313621 in 2,422
Indiana#318121 in 3,470
Washington#32071 in 3,113
Missouri#36981 in 4,392
Ohio#372161 in 5,086
Tennessee#37271 in 4,589
Alabama#37471 in 3,948
Georgia#382111 in 3,684
Massachusetts#38651 in 7,533
Florida#409121 in 4,207
Pennsylvania#417111 in 7,197
North Carolina#42381 in 5,200
New Jersey#42681 in 5,736
Michigan#437111 in 6,263
Texas#440281 in 3,800
Virginia#45251 in 6,674
Illinois#469151 in 5,516
Louisiana#50561 in 5,206
New York#663111 in 11,080
Alaska———
Arizona———
Arkansas———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Iowa———
Kansas———
Kentucky———
Maine———
Maryland———
Mississippi———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
Oklahoma———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
West Virginia———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Josh
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 36 spots since 2024 (#1,735 → #1,699)
  • 20 spots since 2020 (#1,679 → #1,699)
  • 303 spots since 2015 (#1,396 → #1,699)
  • Biggest jump: 233 spots in 1959 (#907 → #674)
  • Biggest drop: 164 spots in 2009 (#809 → #973)
Rise & fade · boys
Peaked on debut
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1880 at #299 (31 births)
  • Births halved by 1882, 2 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 95 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 95 yrs · run 1958–2009
Share of babies · boys
1 in 3,189
  • Highest: 1 in 3,189 boys born in 1974 were named Josh (0.03%)
  • Latest: 1 in 17,792 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
  • Its best rank, #299 in 1880, was only 1 in 3,564 (0.03%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1970s
  • 23.2% of all boys named Josh (4,011) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s234#299 (1880)#367
1890s209#358 (1895)#413
1900s195#451 (1903)#527
1910s395#548 (1911)#833
1920s439#992 (1923)#1,060
1930s348#924 (1936)#1,126
1940s361#1,029 (1949)#1,155
1950s596#674 (1959)#993
1960s1,212#563 (1969)#702
1970s4,011#339 (1979)#397
1980s2,818#371 (1980)#537
1990s1,827#700 (1990)#790
2000s2,656#663 (2004)#754
2010s1,419#1,050 (2011)#1,299
2020s568#1,658 (2021)#1,722

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Josh in 1972

boys
#420
356 births · 1 in 4,555 boys

Top boys' names in 1972

  1. #1Michael71,393
  2. #2Christopher52,172
  3. #3James47,063
  4. #4David46,322
  5. #5John43,158
  6. #6Robert43,013
  7. #7Jason37,423
  8. #8Brian36,306
  9. #9William30,510
  10. #10Matthew22,928
  11. #420Josh356
More about 1972

boys

1,621,608 boys got a published name in 1972; 1 in 4,555 of them was named Josh, which outranked 92.7% of the 5,751 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Josh
  1. #417Claude362
  2. #418Monte360
  3. #418Roman360
  4. #420Josh356
  5. #421Pablo354
  6. #422Stephan353
  7. #423Terrell352
Biggest movers since 1971
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,755Demond#3,146 → #391
  2. ↑ 1,286Cade#2,279 → #993
  3. ↑ 905Vidal#1,526 → #621
  4. ↑ 855Damond#1,784 → #929
  5. ↑ 849Kareem#1,254 → #405
Fallers
  1. ↓ 413Rich#914 → #1,327
  2. ↓ 401Monroe#947 → #1,348
  3. ↓ 317Laura#990 → #1,307
  4. ↓ 309Von#976 → #1,285
  5. ↓ 309Westley#998 → #1,307

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1972 →