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Joshua Name Meaning, Origins & History

Joshua

Pronunciation: JOSH-oo-uh

Meaning The Lord is salvation Origin Hebrew Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#66
TREND
9
Peak Years
1989, 1990, 1988
Lowest Years
1902, 1905, 1904
Energy Archetype
Courageous & Inventive

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Joshua in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Joshua

  • An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 1,248,832 boys named Joshua from 1880 through 2025.
  • Decades of popularity: Joshua stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 55 consecutive years, from 1971 through 2025.
  • Still popular, but losing ground: Joshua's rank fell 61 places between 1995 and 2025, while remaining in the top 100.
  • More than 1 million babies named Joshua: U.S. records list 1,253,785 babies given the name Joshua from 1880 through 2025. Even 4,953 girls received the name Joshua - about 1 girl for every 252 boys.

What Does the Name Joshua Mean?

Joshua comes from the Hebrew name Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) and means "Yahweh is salvation." It is a compound: an abbreviated form of the divine name YHWH (the element Yeho-) joined to a noun from the root yasha, "to save, deliver," yielding "salvation" or "deliverance." The name is a sentence-name, so its literal sense is that Yahweh saves or is salvation.

The shorter Hebrew form Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) is the same name with the divine prefix shortened. That form passed into Greek as Iesous (Ἰησοῦς) and then into Latin as Iesus, the source of the English Jesus. Joshua and Jesus are therefore one Hebrew name carried into English along two different paths: Bibles use Joshua for the Old Testament figure and Jesus for the New Testament one.

Joshua Name History & Origins

In the Hebrew Bible the name belongs to Moses' successor, who leads the Israelites into Canaan, and to the book named after him; another bearer is the high priest Yeshua who returns from the Babylonian exile. The shorter form Yeshua was in common use among Jews in the Second Temple period, which is why it appears in the Greek New Testament as Iesous.

Latin tradition rendered the Old Testament name as Iosue, also spelled Josue, from the Greek Iesous. Older English versions, including Wycliffe's, used Josue; the Geneva Bible and the King James Version of 1611 used Joshua, and that spelling became standard. Because English kept two transliterations of the same Greek name, the Old Testament figure is Joshua while the New Testament figure is Jesus.

The name was favored by English Protestants for its biblical associations; among later documented bearers is the 18th-century painter Sir Joshua Reynolds.

How Popular is the Name Joshua?

Joshua remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1971 to 2025. Its highest annual birth count was in 1989, and people born that year turn 37 in 2026.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Explore Name Lists Featuring Joshua

Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

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How the Name Joshua Shapes Your Personality and Life?

Joshua name, walking with governor and a big dog

You are honest, benevolent, brilliant and often inventive, full of high inspirations. You are courageous, honest, determined, original and creative. You are a leader, especially for a cause. Sometimes you do not care to finish what you start, and may leave details to others. You can do well in position of authority, and prospers in intellectual and professional fields. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.

You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.

✦ Joshua's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Joshua's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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