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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020202001peak #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 2001

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #9 for boys · 48 births · 1 in 69 boysAKMaine: #8 for boys · 100 births · 1 in 57 boysMEVermont: #14 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 65 boysVTNew Hampshire: #9 for boys · 101 births · 1 in 57 boysNHWashington: #2 for boys · 467 births · 1 in 72 boysWAIdaho: #3 for boys · 109 births · 1 in 71 boysIDMontana: #11 for boys · 48 births · 1 in 80 boysMTNorth Dakota: #18 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 88 boysNDMinnesota: #10 for boys · 411 births · 1 in 71 boysMNIllinois: #6 for boys · 1,117 births · 1 in 72 boysILWisconsin: #8 for boys · 415 births · 1 in 70 boysWIMichigan: #3 for boys · 936 births · 1 in 62 boysMINew York: #9 for boys · 1,587 births · 1 in 70 boysNYMassachusetts: #13 for boys · 527 births · 1 in 68 boysMARhode Island: #6 for boys · 95 births · 1 in 53 boysRIOregon: #2 for boys · 306 births · 1 in 63 boysORNevada: #10 for boys · 149 births · 1 in 83 boysNVWyoming: #2 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 43 boysWYSouth Dakota: #17 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 89 boysSDIowa: #20 for boys · 162 births · 1 in 99 boysIAIndiana: #5 for boys · 548 births · 1 in 70 boysINOhio: #5 for boys · 1,055 births · 1 in 65 boysOHPennsylvania: #6 for boys · 1,037 births · 1 in 62 boysPANew Jersey: #12 for boys · 690 births · 1 in 70 boysNJConnecticut: #10 for boys · 293 births · 1 in 61 boysCTCalifornia: #8 for boys · 3,216 births · 1 in 76 boysCAUtah: #3 for boys · 347 births · 1 in 61 boysUTColorado: #3 for boys · 397 births · 1 in 73 boysCONebraska: #6 for boys · 141 births · 1 in 71 boysNEMissouri: #7 for boys · 479 births · 1 in 70 boysMOKentucky: #9 for boys · 353 births · 1 in 66 boysKYWest Virginia: #8 for boys · 146 births · 1 in 60 boysWVVirginia: #4 for boys · 713 births · 1 in 57 boysVAMaryland: #3 for boys · 520 births · 1 in 54 boysMDDelaware: #7 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 53 boysDEArizona: #6 for boys · 488 births · 1 in 78 boysAZNew Mexico: #1 for boys · 212 births · 1 in 50 boysNMKansas: #6 for boys · 205 births · 1 in 79 boysKSArkansas: #3 for boys · 248 births · 1 in 59 boysARTennessee: #3 for boys · 645 births · 1 in 55 boysTNNorth Carolina: #3 for boys · 919 births · 1 in 55 boysNCSouth Carolina: #3 for boys · 401 births · 1 in 51 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #4 for boys · 79 births · 1 in 59 boysDCOklahoma: #2 for boys · 319 births · 1 in 64 boysOKLouisiana: #2 for boys · 408 births · 1 in 64 boysLAMississippi: #7 for boys · 246 births · 1 in 60 boysMSAlabama: #3 for boys · 448 births · 1 in 54 boysALGeorgia: #3 for boys · 932 births · 1 in 60 boysGAHawaii: #1 for boys · 108 births · 1 in 43 boysHITexas: #4 for boys · 2,250 births · 1 in 76 boysTXFlorida: #4 for boys · 1,375 births · 1 in 65 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Hawaii#1 · 1 in 43
  2. New Mexico#1 · 1 in 50
  3. Wyoming#2 · 1 in 43
  4. Oregon#2 · 1 in 63
  5. Oklahoma#2 · 1 in 64

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Hawaii#11081 in 43
New Mexico#12121 in 50
Louisiana#24081 in 64
Oklahoma#23191 in 64
Oregon#23061 in 63
Washington#24671 in 72
Wyoming#2421 in 43
Alabama#34481 in 54
Arkansas#32481 in 59
Colorado#33971 in 73
Georgia#39321 in 60
Idaho#31091 in 71
Maryland#35201 in 54
Michigan#39361 in 62
North Carolina#39191 in 55
South Carolina#34011 in 51
Tennessee#36451 in 55
Utah#33471 in 61
District of Columbia#4791 in 59
Florida#41,3751 in 65
Texas#42,2501 in 76
Virginia#47131 in 57
Indiana#55481 in 70
Ohio#51,0551 in 65
Arizona#64881 in 78
Illinois#61,1171 in 72
Kansas#62051 in 79
Nebraska#61411 in 71
Pennsylvania#61,0371 in 62
Rhode Island#6951 in 53
Delaware#7731 in 53
Mississippi#72461 in 60
Missouri#74791 in 70
California#83,2161 in 76
Maine#81001 in 57
West Virginia#81461 in 60
Wisconsin#84151 in 70
Alaska#9481 in 69
Kentucky#93531 in 66
New Hampshire#91011 in 57
New York#91,5871 in 70
Connecticut#102931 in 61
Minnesota#104111 in 71
Nevada#101491 in 83
Montana#11481 in 80
New Jersey#126901 in 70
Massachusetts#135271 in 68
Vermont#14351 in 65
South Dakota#17431 in 89
North Dakota#18351 in 88
Iowa#201621 in 99

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 2001

girls
#2,963
48 births · 1 in 37,513 girls
boys
#4
26,024 births · 1 in 75 boys

Top girls' names in 2001

  1. #1Emily25,059
  2. #2Madison22,166
  3. #3Hannah20,723
  4. #4Ashley16,531
  5. #5Alexis16,404
  6. #6Sarah15,929
  7. #7Samantha15,867
  8. #8Abigail14,807
  9. #9Elizabeth14,792
  10. #10Olivia13,977
  11. #2,963Joshua48

Top boys' names in 2001

  1. #1Jacob32,573
  2. #2Michael29,689
  3. #3Matthew26,812
  4. #4Joshua26,024
  5. #5Christopher23,132
  6. #6Nicholas22,849
  7. #7Andrew22,422
  8. #8Joseph22,030
  9. #9Daniel21,013
  10. #10William20,110
More about 2001

girls

1,800,624 girls got a published name in 2001; 1 in 37,513 of them was named Joshua, which outranked 83.5% of the 17,978 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 9.8% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joshua
  1. #2,924Wendi49
  2. #2,924Zarria49
  3. #2,924Zia49
  4. #2,963Joshua48
  5. #2,963Addisyn48
  6. #2,963Adelle48
  7. #2,963Anela48
  8. #3,009Aleesha47
  9. #3,009Anushka47
  10. #3,009Arial47

Tied with 45 names at #2,963; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 2000
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,602Dafne#2,569 → #967
  2. ↑ 1,493Nevaeh#1,759 → #266
  3. ↑ 1,339Jimena#2,213 → #874
  4. ↑ 1,263Taina#2,174 → #911
  5. ↑ 1,069Yuliana#1,759 → #690
Fallers
  1. ↓ 913Dariana#837 → #1,750
  2. ↓ 368Cortney#825 → #1,193
  3. ↓ 362Maiya#994 → #1,356
  4. ↓ 313Rosalinda#701 → #1,014
  5. ↓ 307Ivana#863 → #1,170

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

boys

1,942,881 boys got a published name in 2001; 1 in 75 of them was named Joshua, which outranked 100.0% of the 12,307 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 12.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joshua
  1. #1Jacob32,573
  2. #2Michael29,689
  3. #3Matthew26,812
  4. #4Joshua26,024
  5. #5Christopher23,132
  6. #6Nicholas22,849
  7. #7Andrew22,422
Biggest movers since 2000
Risers
  1. ↑ 5,879Jaheim#6,316 → #437
  2. ↑ 1,128Imanol#2,049 → #921
  3. ↑ 730Jagger#1,391 → #661
  4. ↑ 539Maximus#850 → #311
  5. ↑ 461Daunte#1,429 → #968
Fallers
  1. ↓ 476Tyreek#914 → #1,390
  2. ↓ 466Tyrique#949 → #1,415
  3. ↓ 456Infant#765 → #1,221
  4. ↓ 423Deion#893 → #1,316
  5. ↓ 291Nicklaus#986 → #1,277

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

See the top 100 for 2001 →