Joshua

Last seen for girls in 2024 at #11,122 · #66 for boys in 2025, 4,773 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
2002 · 25,998 births
Debut · boys
57 births
In top 100 · boys
55 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
1,248,929
since 1880

Joshua over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201919peak #3, 2002boys
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
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#664,773
2024#11,1228#575,268
2023#13,4626#605,070
2022#13,5926#605,197
2021—#585,531
2020#10,2509#536,015
2019#9,73610#486,631
2018—#407,446
2017#8,77612#388,353
2016#6,66318#359,258
2015#6,72118#339,850
2014#7,30216#2510,929
2013#8,58013#2111,861
2012#6,87218#1712,681
2011#5,35825#1413,797
2010#8,70113#1115,467
2009#5,70924#617,671
2008#5,57425#419,231
2007#3,98339#420,669
2006#4,57631#322,336
2005#3,46143#323,261
2004#1,614120#324,214
2003#3,23245#325,106
2002#3,10346#325,998
2001#2,96348#426,024
2000#2,70854#427,543
1999#2,36862#427,265
1998#2,65151#428,095
1997#2,22961#528,289
1996#1,91575#529,175
1995#2,15562#530,720
1994#1,84177#431,374
1993#1,419114#433,590
1992#1,357122#436,221
1991#1,219141#441,226
1990#1,066166#443,237
1989#885208#444,100
1988#652297#442,653
1987#678272#440,002
1986#616307#437,542
1985#657276#442,194
1984#655266#440,266
1983#718232#536,687
1982#720241#738,004
1981#700240#639,024
1980#747222#736,052
1979#762211#931,120
1978#981141#1225,204
1977#1,127113#1422,068
1976#1,19195#1816,845
1975#1,24192#2614,567
1974#1,53263#2911,599
1973#2,09438#428,057
1972#3,06221#595,033
1971#3,65217#803,650
1970#5,06110#1502,175
1969#5,4568#1971,321
1968#7,0165#271731
1967—#314563
1966—#340486
1965—#352461
1964—#407389
1963—#416372
1962—#436335
1961—#423354
1960—#454314
1959—#440328
1958—#477276
1957—#467273
1956—#491239
1955—#471245
1954—#524193
1953—#551164
1952—#523178
1951—#530165
1950—#537160
1949—#490183
1948—#587129
1947—#568141
1946—#608113
1945—#61297
1944—#601104
1943—#65595
1942—#591111
1941—#62893
1940—#62690
1939—#569101
1938—#72471
1937—#60592
1936—#573101
1935—#66380
1934—#574106
1933—#569102
1932—#560111
1931—#61194
1930—#64590
1929—#72974
1928—#562118
1927—#569117
1926—#612105
1925—#605109
1924—#594114
1923—#539129
1922—#571124
1921—#562125
1920—#542128
1919—#503139
1918—#552118
1917—#522122
1916—#58199
1915—#472136
1914—#52887
1913—#49278
1912—#50760
1911—#44643
1910—#39644
1909—#48728
1908—#45229
1907—#45726
1906—#42427
1905—#54918
1904—#49219
1903—#45121
1902—#52117
1901—#39922
1900—#36536
1899—#37624
1898—#29839
1897—#34629
1896—#35230
1895—#34029
1894—#37624
1893—#37123
1892—#28441
1891—#34924
1890—#35824
1889—#29433
1888—#24550
1887—#24741
1886—#22855
1885—#25143
1884—#26541
1883—#20255
1882—#23550
1881—#24440
1880—#21157
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Joshua was already there! It came in at #211, and was given to 57 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1901–1905, when fewer than 23 boys a year got the name.

Where Joshua is popular in 1919

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedMNIllinois: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedWIMichigan: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedMINew York: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedIAIndiana: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedINOhio: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedOHPennsylvania: #526 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 15,847 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedCTCalifornia: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedNEMissouri: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedMOKentucky: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedWVVirginia: #269 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,421 boysVAMaryland: #150 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 1,317 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedKSArkansas: #319 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 2,458 boysARTennessee: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: #231 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 1,803 boysNCSouth Carolina: #228 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,843 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedOKLouisiana: #429 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 3,577 boysLAMississippi: #258 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,960 boysMSAlabama: #418 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 4,247 boysALGeorgia: #289 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 2,585 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedHITexas: #714 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 7,526 boysTXFlorida: fewer than 5 boys named Joshua, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Maryland#150 · 1 in 1,317
  2. South Carolina#228 · 1 in 1,843
  3. North Carolina#231 · 1 in 1,803
  4. Mississippi#258 · 1 in 1,960
  5. Virginia#269 · 1 in 2,421

Best ever in a state: #1 in Montana, 1980.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Maryland#15091 in 1,317
South Carolina#228111 in 1,843
North Carolina#231171 in 1,803
Mississippi#258101 in 1,960
Virginia#26991 in 2,421
Georgia#289121 in 2,585
Arkansas#31971 in 2,458
Alabama#41861 in 4,247
Louisiana#42951 in 3,577
Pennsylvania#52651 in 15,847
Texas#71461 in 7,526
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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 Joshua
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 9 spots since 2024 (#57 → #66)
  • 13 spots since 2020 (#53 → #66)
  • 33 spots since 2015 (#33 → #66)
  • Biggest jump: 155 spots in 1939 (#724 → #569)
  • Biggest drop: 167 spots in 1929 (#562 → #729)
Rise & fade · boys
122 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 2002 at #3 (25,998 births)
  • Births halved by 2012, 10 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 10 for 31 yrs
  • Top 10: 31 yrs · run 1979–2009
  • Top 100: 55 yrs · run 1971–2025
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 44
  • Highest: 1 in 44 boys born in 1985 were named Joshua (2.3%)
  • Latest: 1 in 358 boys born in 2025 (0.28%)
  • Its best rank, #3 in 2002, was only 1 in 75 (1.3%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1980s
  • 31.7% of all boys named Joshua (396,524) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s465#202 (1883)#242
1890s287#284 (1892)#345
1900s243#365 (1900)#460
1910s926#396 (1910)#500
1920s1,143#539 (1923)#589
1930s948#560 (1932)#609
1940s1,156#490 (1949)#597
1950s2,221#440 (1959)#501
1960s5,326#197 (1969)#361
1970s140,318#9 (1979)#44
1980s396,524#4 (1989)#5
1990s329,192#4 (1990)#4
2000s232,053#3 (2002)#4
2010s106,273#11 (2010)#28
2020s31,854#53 (2020)#59

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.

Joshua in 1919

boys
#503
139 births · 1 in 7,051 boys

Top boys' names in 1919

  1. #1John53,522
  2. #2William43,969
  3. #3James42,392
  4. #4Robert41,025
  5. #5Charles25,192
  6. #6George25,170
  7. #7Joseph24,266
  8. #8Edward18,536
  9. #9Frank15,701
  10. #10Thomas13,434
  11. #503Joshua139
More about 1919

boys

980,122 boys got a published name in 1919; 1 in 7,051 of them was named Joshua, which outranked 89.5% of the 4,810 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.9% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joshua
  1. #499Valentine142
  2. #501Shelby141
  3. #502Palmer140
  4. #503Joshua139
  5. #503Arlie139
  6. #503Fletcher139
  7. #503Isaiah139
  8. #507Morgan138
  9. #508Haywood137
  10. #508Lemuel137

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1918
Risers
  1. ↑ 446Quinten#1,313 → #867
  2. ↑ 432Dempsey#1,012 → #580
  3. ↑ 341Winton#1,231 → #890
  4. ↑ 334Donnie#1,211 → #877
  5. ↑ 332Edsel#1,062 → #730
Fallers
  1. ↓ 2,008Foch#869 → #2,877
  2. ↓ 582Carmel#949 → #1,531
  3. ↓ 403Eligah#918 → #1,321
  4. ↓ 398Nels#809 → #1,207
  5. ↓ 355Myer#966 → #1,321

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

See the top 100 for 1919 →