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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020202010peak #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 2010

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #8 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 84 boysAKMaine: #29 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 110 boysMEVermont: #48 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 142 boysVTNew Hampshire: #34 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 111 boysNHWashington: #25 for boys · 248 births · 1 in 143 boysWAIdaho: #24 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 138 boysIDMontana: #28 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 134 boysMTNorth Dakota: #61 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 177 boysNDMinnesota: #36 for boys · 168 births · 1 in 165 boysMNIllinois: #9 for boys · 649 births · 1 in 108 boysILWisconsin: #36 for boys · 176 births · 1 in 158 boysWIMichigan: #22 for boys · 390 births · 1 in 124 boysMINew York: #14 for boys · 1,041 births · 1 in 102 boysNYMassachusetts: #24 for boys · 287 births · 1 in 105 boysMARhode Island: #24 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 92 boysRIOregon: #31 for boys · 122 births · 1 in 150 boysORNevada: #16 for boys · 121 births · 1 in 113 boysNVWyoming: #54 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 159 boysWYSouth Dakota: #39 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 147 boysSDIowa: #38 for boys · 97 births · 1 in 158 boysIAIndiana: #20 for boys · 288 births · 1 in 126 boysINOhio: #17 for boys · 517 births · 1 in 117 boysOHPennsylvania: #14 for boys · 587 births · 1 in 104 boysPANew Jersey: #12 for boys · 484 births · 1 in 88 boysNJConnecticut: #18 for boys · 157 births · 1 in 93 boysCTCalifornia: #12 for boys · 2,141 births · 1 in 109 boysCAUtah: #12 for boys · 181 births · 1 in 122 boysUTColorado: #14 for boys · 228 births · 1 in 121 boysCONebraska: #23 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 135 boysNEMissouri: #26 for boys · 234 births · 1 in 140 boysMOKentucky: #14 for boys · 211 births · 1 in 107 boysKYWest Virginia: #22 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 110 boysWVVirginia: #8 for boys · 436 births · 1 in 95 boysVAMaryland: #2 for boys · 364 births · 1 in 77 boysMDDelaware: #6 for boys · 54 births · 1 in 67 boysDEArizona: #18 for boys · 303 births · 1 in 123 boysAZNew Mexico: #6 for boys · 119 births · 1 in 84 boysNMKansas: #20 for boys · 122 births · 1 in 134 boysKSArkansas: #11 for boys · 138 births · 1 in 105 boysARTennessee: #9 for boys · 344 births · 1 in 102 boysTNNorth Carolina: #6 for boys · 534 births · 1 in 97 boysNCSouth Carolina: #7 for boys · 242 births · 1 in 87 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #9 for boys · 48 births · 1 in 81 boysDCOklahoma: #15 for boys · 158 births · 1 in 130 boysOKLouisiana: #6 for boys · 227 births · 1 in 105 boysLAMississippi: #9 for boys · 152 births · 1 in 91 boysMSAlabama: #16 for boys · 220 births · 1 in 106 boysALGeorgia: #4 for boys · 618 births · 1 in 90 boysGAHawaii: #4 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 84 boysHITexas: #10 for boys · 1,551 births · 1 in 115 boysTXFlorida: #7 for boys · 972 births · 1 in 95 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Maryland#2 · 1 in 77
  2. Hawaii#4 · 1 in 84
  3. Georgia#4 · 1 in 90
  4. Delaware#6 · 1 in 67
  5. New Mexico#6 · 1 in 84

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Maryland#23641 in 77
Georgia#46181 in 90
Hawaii#4571 in 84
Delaware#6541 in 67
Louisiana#62271 in 105
New Mexico#61191 in 84
North Carolina#65341 in 97
Florida#79721 in 95
South Carolina#72421 in 87
Alaska#8411 in 84
Virginia#84361 in 95
District of Columbia#9481 in 81
Illinois#96491 in 108
Mississippi#91521 in 91
Tennessee#93441 in 102
Texas#101,5511 in 115
Arkansas#111381 in 105
California#122,1411 in 109
New Jersey#124841 in 88
Utah#121811 in 122
Colorado#142281 in 121
Kentucky#142111 in 107
New York#141,0411 in 102
Pennsylvania#145871 in 104
Oklahoma#151581 in 130
Alabama#162201 in 106
Nevada#161211 in 113
Ohio#175171 in 117
Arizona#183031 in 123
Connecticut#181571 in 93
Indiana#202881 in 126
Kansas#201221 in 134
Michigan#223901 in 124
West Virginia#22731 in 110
Nebraska#23731 in 135
Idaho#24611 in 138
Massachusetts#242871 in 105
Rhode Island#24441 in 92
Washington#252481 in 143
Missouri#262341 in 140
Montana#28291 in 134
Maine#29431 in 110
Oregon#311221 in 150
New Hampshire#34451 in 111
Minnesota#361681 in 165
Wisconsin#361761 in 158
Iowa#38971 in 158
South Dakota#39271 in 147
Vermont#48131 in 142
Wyoming#54121 in 159
North Dakota#61201 in 177

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 2010

girls
#8,701
13 births · 1 in 136,738 girls
boys
#11
15,467 births · 1 in 124 boys

Top girls' names in 2010

  1. #1Isabella22,936
  2. #2Sophia20,656
  3. #3Emma17,366
  4. #4Olivia17,040
  5. #5Ava15,444
  6. #6Emily14,281
  7. #7Abigail14,257
  8. #8Madison13,196
  9. #9Chloe11,765
  10. #10Mia10,650
  11. #8,701Joshua13

Top boys' names in 2010

  1. #1Jacob22,157
  2. #2Ethan18,020
  3. #3Michael17,387
  4. #4Jayden17,203
  5. #5William17,072
  6. #6Alexander16,769
  7. #7Noah16,481
  8. #8Daniel15,869
  9. #9Aiden15,547
  10. #10Anthony15,511
  11. #11Joshua15,467
More about 2010

girls

1,777,595 girls got a published name in 2010; 1 in 136,738 of them was named Joshua, which outranked 56.1% of the 19,841 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joshua
  1. #8,271Zuley14
  2. #8,271Zulma14
  3. #8,271Zyniah14
  4. #8,701Joshua13
  5. #8,701Aamira13
  6. #8,701Abbigaile13
  7. #8,701Abrar13
  8. #9,231Aamani12
  9. #9,231Aasiya12
  10. #9,231Abeer12

Tied with 529 names at #8,701; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 2009
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,433Tenley#2,892 → #459
  2. ↑ 2,126Elin#2,852 → #726
  3. ↑ 664Jordynn#1,353 → #689
  4. ↑ 623Kynlee#1,509 → #886
  5. ↑ 513Farrah#1,063 → #550
Fallers
  1. ↓ 502Calleigh#834 → #1,336
  2. ↓ 491Marely#851 → #1,342
  3. ↓ 477Analia#331 → #808
  4. ↓ 417Destiney#900 → #1,317
  5. ↓ 326Dayanara#810 → #1,136

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

boys

1,918,676 boys got a published name in 2010; 1 in 124 of them was named Joshua, which outranked 99.9% of the 14,270 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 9.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joshua
  1. #8Daniel15,869
  2. #9Aiden15,547
  3. #10Anthony15,511
  4. #11Joshua15,467
  5. #12Mason14,858
  6. #13Christopher14,299
  7. #14Andrew14,269
Biggest movers since 2009
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,631Bentlee#3,476 → #845
  2. ↑ 1,735Jencarlos#2,663 → #928
  3. ↑ 1,536Bently#2,203 → #667
  4. ↑ 940Callen#1,638 → #698
  5. ↑ 892Bode#1,665 → #773
Fallers
  1. ↓ 314Dereon#953 → #1,267
  2. ↓ 290Aaden#271 → #561
  3. ↓ 248Landin#935 → #1,183
  4. ↓ 229Rigoberto#920 → #1,149
  5. ↓ 191Dillan#793 → #984

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

See the top 100 for 2010 →