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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020202006peak #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 2006

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #11 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 82 boysAKMaine: #27 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 95 boysMEVermont: #12 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 70 boysVTNew Hampshire: #23 for boys · 65 births · 1 in 84 boysNHWashington: #15 for boys · 314 births · 1 in 116 boysWAIdaho: #3 for boys · 108 births · 1 in 84 boysIDMontana: #17 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 99 boysMTNorth Dakota: #28 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 104 boysNDMinnesota: #21 for boys · 268 births · 1 in 115 boysMNIllinois: #5 for boys · 919 births · 1 in 84 boysILWisconsin: #18 for boys · 282 births · 1 in 106 boysWIMichigan: #8 for boys · 611 births · 1 in 89 boysMINew York: #9 for boys · 1,387 births · 1 in 79 boysNYMassachusetts: #16 for boys · 402 births · 1 in 82 boysMARhode Island: #6 for boys · 76 births · 1 in 64 boysRIOregon: #7 for boys · 207 births · 1 in 98 boysORNevada: #8 for boys · 187 births · 1 in 84 boysNVWyoming: #8 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 76 boysWYSouth Dakota: #8 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 81 boysSDIowa: #20 for boys · 153 births · 1 in 111 boysIAIndiana: #6 for boys · 414 births · 1 in 94 boysINOhio: #6 for boys · 772 births · 1 in 86 boysOHPennsylvania: #8 for boys · 777 births · 1 in 83 boysPANew Jersey: #9 for boys · 649 births · 1 in 73 boysNJConnecticut: #14 for boys · 226 births · 1 in 74 boysCTCalifornia: #8 for boys · 3,032 births · 1 in 86 boysCAUtah: #2 for boys · 336 births · 1 in 69 boysUTColorado: #4 for boys · 317 births · 1 in 95 boysCONebraska: #11 for boys · 104 births · 1 in 102 boysNEMissouri: #10 for boys · 343 births · 1 in 102 boysMOKentucky: #13 for boys · 271 births · 1 in 89 boysKYWest Virginia: #10 for boys · 114 births · 1 in 77 boysWVVirginia: #4 for boys · 584 births · 1 in 75 boysVAMaryland: #1 for boys · 471 births · 1 in 64 boysMDDelaware: #7 for boys · 60 births · 1 in 66 boysDEArizona: #8 for boys · 479 births · 1 in 95 boysAZNew Mexico: #1 for boys · 167 births · 1 in 68 boysNMKansas: #8 for boys · 165 births · 1 in 102 boysKSArkansas: #6 for boys · 192 births · 1 in 81 boysARTennessee: #3 for boys · 545 births · 1 in 69 boysTNNorth Carolina: #2 for boys · 835 births · 1 in 65 boysNCSouth Carolina: #5 for boys · 331 births · 1 in 68 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #10 for boys · 66 births · 1 in 71 boysDCOklahoma: #3 for boys · 239 births · 1 in 90 boysOKLouisiana: #3 for boys · 304 births · 1 in 83 boysLAMississippi: #3 for boys · 253 births · 1 in 63 boysMSAlabama: #4 for boys · 377 births · 1 in 67 boysALGeorgia: #2 for boys · 916 births · 1 in 68 boysGAHawaii: #2 for boys · 90 births · 1 in 57 boysHITexas: #3 for boys · 2,161 births · 1 in 86 boysTXFlorida: #1 for boys · 1,480 births · 1 in 70 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Maryland#1 · 1 in 64
  2. New Mexico#1 · 1 in 68
  3. Florida#1 · 1 in 70
  4. Hawaii#2 · 1 in 57
  5. North Carolina#2 · 1 in 65

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Florida#11,4801 in 70
Maryland#14711 in 64
New Mexico#11671 in 68
Georgia#29161 in 68
Hawaii#2901 in 57
North Carolina#28351 in 65
Utah#23361 in 69
Idaho#31081 in 84
Louisiana#33041 in 83
Mississippi#32531 in 63
Oklahoma#32391 in 90
Tennessee#35451 in 69
Texas#32,1611 in 86
Alabama#43771 in 67
Colorado#43171 in 95
Virginia#45841 in 75
Illinois#59191 in 84
South Carolina#53311 in 68
Arkansas#61921 in 81
Indiana#64141 in 94
Ohio#67721 in 86
Rhode Island#6761 in 64
Delaware#7601 in 66
Oregon#72071 in 98
Arizona#84791 in 95
California#83,0321 in 86
Kansas#81651 in 102
Michigan#86111 in 89
Nevada#81871 in 84
Pennsylvania#87771 in 83
South Dakota#8521 in 81
Wyoming#8291 in 76
New Jersey#96491 in 73
New York#91,3871 in 79
District of Columbia#10661 in 71
Missouri#103431 in 102
West Virginia#101141 in 77
Alaska#11411 in 82
Nebraska#111041 in 102
Vermont#12301 in 70
Kentucky#132711 in 89
Connecticut#142261 in 74
Washington#153141 in 116
Massachusetts#164021 in 82
Montana#17441 in 99
Wisconsin#182821 in 106
Iowa#201531 in 111
Minnesota#212681 in 115
New Hampshire#23651 in 84
Maine#27581 in 95
North Dakota#28331 in 104

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 2006

girls
#4,576
31 births · 1 in 61,329 girls
boys
#3
22,336 births · 1 in 92 boys

Top girls' names in 2006

  1. #1Emily21,412
  2. #2Emma19,133
  3. #3Madison18,635
  4. #4Isabella18,231
  5. #5Ava16,941
  6. #6Abigail15,633
  7. #7Olivia15,508
  8. #8Hannah14,556
  9. #9Sophia13,503
  10. #10Samantha12,470
  11. #4,576Joshua31

Top boys' names in 2006

  1. #1Jacob24,871
  2. #2Michael22,653
  3. #3Joshua22,336
  4. #4Ethan20,522
  5. #5Matthew20,339
  6. #6Daniel20,082
  7. #7Andrew19,733
  8. #8Christopher19,688
  9. #9Anthony19,413
  10. #10William18,965
More about 2006

girls

1,901,209 girls got a published name in 2006; 1 in 61,329 of them was named Joshua, which outranked 77.2% of the 20,064 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joshua
  1. #4,463Zamiyah32
  2. #4,463Zeina32
  3. #4,463Zyon32
  4. #4,576Joshua31
  5. #4,576Ailey31
  6. #4,576Ajla31
  7. #4,576Alaisha31
  8. #4,685Adalie30
  9. #4,685Agustina30
  10. #4,685Aisling30

Tied with 108 names at #4,576; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 2005
Risers
  1. ↑ 8,571Bethzy#9,452 → #881
  2. ↑ 1,747Rihanna#2,278 → #531
  3. ↑ 965Yaretzi#1,803 → #838
  4. ↑ 921Betsy#1,668 → #747
  5. ↑ 612Evangeline#1,210 → #598
Fallers
  1. ↓ 2,134Mikalah#806 → #2,940
  2. ↓ 1,275Jolette#954 → #2,229
  3. ↓ 756Karol#818 → #1,574
  4. ↓ 446Litzy#388 → #834
  5. ↓ 305Devon#963 → #1,268

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

boys

2,055,273 boys got a published name in 2006; 1 in 92 of them was named Joshua, which outranked 100.0% of the 14,047 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 10.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joshua
  1. #1Jacob24,871
  2. #2Michael22,653
  3. #3Joshua22,336
  4. #4Ethan20,522
  5. #5Matthew20,339
  6. #6Daniel20,082
Biggest movers since 2005
Risers
  1. ↑ 792Bode#1,648 → #856
  2. ↑ 790Talen#1,691 → #901
  3. ↑ 677Kingston#1,603 → #926
  4. ↑ 634Imanol#1,619 → #985
  5. ↑ 590Yandel#1,266 → #676
Fallers
  1. ↓ 2,208Baby#945 → #3,153
  2. ↓ 609Kanye#892 → #1,501
  3. ↓ 442Amarion#628 → #1,070
  4. ↓ 308Omarion#420 → #728
  5. ↓ 224Johnpaul#739 → #963

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

See the top 100 for 2006 →