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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020202005peak #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 2005

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #3 for boys · 55 births · 1 in 60 boysAKMaine: #15 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 76 boysMEVermont: #62 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 183 boysVTNew Hampshire: #17 for boys · 76 births · 1 in 74 boysNHWashington: #7 for boys · 359 births · 1 in 97 boysWAIdaho: #10 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 98 boysIDMontana: #14 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 94 boysMTNorth Dakota: #33 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 114 boysNDMinnesota: #14 for boys · 300 births · 1 in 100 boysMNIllinois: #7 for boys · 942 births · 1 in 82 boysILWisconsin: #10 for boys · 321 births · 1 in 91 boysWIMichigan: #4 for boys · 693 births · 1 in 79 boysMINew York: #9 for boys · 1,416 births · 1 in 76 boysNYMassachusetts: #16 for boys · 419 births · 1 in 78 boysMARhode Island: #6 for boys · 90 births · 1 in 55 boysRIOregon: #4 for boys · 217 births · 1 in 90 boysORNevada: #4 for boys · 208 births · 1 in 70 boysNVWyoming: #6 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 74 boysWYSouth Dakota: #27 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 113 boysSDIowa: #17 for boys · 147 births · 1 in 112 boysIAIndiana: #4 for boys · 455 births · 1 in 84 boysINOhio: #11 for boys · 752 births · 1 in 87 boysOHPennsylvania: #7 for boys · 856 births · 1 in 75 boysPANew Jersey: #11 for boys · 630 births · 1 in 74 boysNJConnecticut: #6 for boys · 259 births · 1 in 65 boysCTCalifornia: #5 for boys · 3,217 births · 1 in 79 boysCAUtah: #3 for boys · 293 births · 1 in 76 boysUTColorado: #2 for boys · 373 births · 1 in 80 boysCONebraska: #6 for boys · 113 births · 1 in 91 boysNEMissouri: #7 for boys · 395 births · 1 in 86 boysMOKentucky: #5 for boys · 353 births · 1 in 66 boysKYWest Virginia: #11 for boys · 116 births · 1 in 78 boysWVVirginia: #4 for boys · 632 births · 1 in 68 boysVAMaryland: #1 for boys · 463 births · 1 in 62 boysMDDelaware: #4 for boys · 74 births · 1 in 55 boysDEArizona: #8 for boys · 489 births · 1 in 87 boysAZNew Mexico: #1 for boys · 196 births · 1 in 56 boysNMKansas: #8 for boys · 162 births · 1 in 101 boysKSArkansas: #4 for boys · 193 births · 1 in 78 boysARTennessee: #5 for boys · 515 births · 1 in 72 boysTNNorth Carolina: #2 for boys · 839 births · 1 in 62 boysNCSouth Carolina: #3 for boys · 331 births · 1 in 64 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #11 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 74 boysDCOklahoma: #3 for boys · 264 births · 1 in 78 boysOKLouisiana: #1 for boys · 324 births · 1 in 74 boysLAMississippi: #7 for boys · 217 births · 1 in 68 boysMSAlabama: #2 for boys · 399 births · 1 in 59 boysALGeorgia: #2 for boys · 910 births · 1 in 66 boysGAHawaii: #1 for boys · 95 births · 1 in 50 boysHITexas: #3 for boys · 2,230 births · 1 in 81 boysTXFlorida: #1 for boys · 1,503 births · 1 in 66 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Hawaii#1 · 1 in 50
  2. New Mexico#1 · 1 in 56
  3. Maryland#1 · 1 in 62
  4. Florida#1 · 1 in 66
  5. Louisiana#1 · 1 in 74

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Florida#11,5031 in 66
Hawaii#1951 in 50
Louisiana#13241 in 74
Maryland#14631 in 62
New Mexico#11961 in 56
Alabama#23991 in 59
Colorado#23731 in 80
Georgia#29101 in 66
North Carolina#28391 in 62
Alaska#3551 in 60
Oklahoma#32641 in 78
South Carolina#33311 in 64
Texas#32,2301 in 81
Utah#32931 in 76
Arkansas#41931 in 78
Delaware#4741 in 55
Indiana#44551 in 84
Michigan#46931 in 79
Nevada#42081 in 70
Oregon#42171 in 90
Virginia#46321 in 68
California#53,2171 in 79
Kentucky#53531 in 66
Tennessee#55151 in 72
Connecticut#62591 in 65
Nebraska#61131 in 91
Rhode Island#6901 in 55
Wyoming#6281 in 74
Illinois#79421 in 82
Mississippi#72171 in 68
Missouri#73951 in 86
Pennsylvania#78561 in 75
Washington#73591 in 97
Arizona#84891 in 87
Kansas#81621 in 101
New York#91,4161 in 76
Idaho#10881 in 98
Wisconsin#103211 in 91
District of Columbia#11591 in 74
New Jersey#116301 in 74
Ohio#117521 in 87
West Virginia#111161 in 78
Minnesota#143001 in 100
Montana#14421 in 94
Maine#15731 in 76
Massachusetts#164191 in 78
Iowa#171471 in 112
New Hampshire#17761 in 74
South Dakota#27371 in 113
North Dakota#33311 in 114
Vermont#62121 in 183

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 2005

girls
#3,461
43 births · 1 in 42,973 girls
boys
#3
23,261 births · 1 in 86 boys

Top girls' names in 2005

  1. #1Emily23,952
  2. #2Emma20,362
  3. #3Madison19,578
  4. #4Abigail15,756
  5. #5Olivia15,700
  6. #6Isabella15,197
  7. #7Hannah14,854
  8. #8Samantha13,642
  9. #9Ava13,606
  10. #10Ashley13,276
  11. #3,461Joshua43

Top boys' names in 2005

  1. #1Jacob25,851
  2. #2Michael23,828
  3. #3Joshua23,261
  4. #4Matthew21,483
  5. #5Ethan21,318
  6. #6Andrew20,742
  7. #7Daniel20,236
  8. #8Anthony19,387
  9. #9Joseph19,241
  10. #10Christopher19,174
More about 2005

girls

1,847,842 girls got a published name in 2005; 1 in 42,973 of them was named Joshua, which outranked 82.0% of the 19,199 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 9.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joshua
  1. #3,404Yuri44
  2. #3,404Zamira44
  3. #3,404Zayna44
  4. #3,461Joshua43
  5. #3,461Ambrosia43
  6. #3,461Angelic43
  7. #3,461Aralyn43
  8. #3,509Adamary42
  9. #3,509Addysen42
  10. #3,509Aisling42

Tied with 47 names at #3,461; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 2004
Risers
  1. ↑ 6,271Mikalah#7,077 → #806
  2. ↑ 2,724Yuridia#3,689 → #965
  3. ↑ 2,236Naima#3,127 → #891
  4. ↑ 1,924Karol#2,742 → #818
  5. ↑ 1,125Karma#1,972 → #847
Fallers
  1. ↓ 397Rhea#908 → #1,305
  2. ↓ 360Laisha#789 → #1,149
  3. ↓ 334Ashtyn#956 → #1,290
  4. ↓ 285Hunter#742 → #1,027
  5. ↓ 282Angeles#973 → #1,255

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

boys

1,997,305 boys got a published name in 2005; 1 in 86 of them was named Joshua, which outranked 100.0% of the 13,370 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 10.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joshua
  1. #1Jacob25,851
  2. #2Michael23,828
  3. #3Joshua23,261
  4. #4Matthew21,483
  5. #5Ethan21,318
  6. #6Andrew20,742
Biggest movers since 2004
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,722Talan#4,264 → #542
  2. ↑ 1,048Carmine#1,934 → #886
  3. ↑ 727Leland#1,335 → #608
  4. ↑ 528Amare#1,159 → #631
  5. ↑ 525Braylen#1,359 → #834
Fallers
  1. ↓ 817Madison#857 → #1,674
  2. ↓ 783Andon#865 → #1,648
  3. ↓ 406Kanye#486 → #892
  4. ↓ 379Jakobe#846 → #1,225
  5. ↓ 359Koda#930 → #1,289

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

See the top 100 for 2005 →