Joshua: Meaning, origin and popularity
Pronounced JAH-shoo-uh · 3 syllables
Joshua means “God is salvation”, from Hebrew.
From Biblical Hebrew (Yehoshua'), perhaps from (Hoshea') with addition of (YHWH, “Yahweh”), thus meaning "Yahweh is salvation". See (hoshia', “to save”). By cognate a direct equivalent to Jesus via Latin Iesus and Ancient Greek (Iesous) from Aramaic (Yesu), akin to Hebrew (Yeshua'), a variant of Yehoshua'.
- Meaning
- God is salvation
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Pronunciation
- JAH-shoo-uh
- US rank (2025)
- #66
- US babies a year
- about 5,172 (2021–2025)
- Peak
- around 1980
- Style
- Biblical
- Nicknames
- Josh
How popular is Joshua?
Joshua was the #66 name in the US in 2025, given to 4,773 babies. It’s used less than it was: down 56% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 1980.
Around the world
| Country | Rank |
|---|---|
| United States | #66 |
| England & Wales | #23 |
| Scotland | #29 |
| Northern Ireland | #34 |
| Ireland | #84 |
| France | #234 |
| Norway | #393 |
| Canada | #86 |
| Australia | #88 |
How old are people named Joshua?
Half of US adults named Joshua are older than 36; most are between 20 and 50. (Estimated from US births by year and life tables.)
Sibling names for Joshua
Names that real brothers and sisters of people named Joshua have, from family records on Wikidata, most common first.
Names like Joshua
Chosen by the same families or with a similar style and era.
On these lists
Questions about Joshua
What does the name Joshua mean?
Joshua means “God is salvation”. It comes from Hebrew.
How do you pronounce Joshua?
Joshua is pronounced JAH-shoo-uh.
How popular is the name Joshua?
Joshua was the #66 name in the US in 2025, given to 4,773 babies. It’s used less than it was: down 56% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 1980.
How old are people named Joshua?
Half of US adults named Joshua are older than 36. Most are between 20 and 50.