Baby Name Popularity Profile

Joshua

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Joshua.

✦ The Lord is salvation 🌍 Hebrew biblical traditional
National Rank (2025) #66
All-Time Peak Rank #3 Achieved 2002
Total U.S. Births 1,248,929 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.9% Boy / 0.1% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1980s 44,100 births in 1989
πŸ’‘ The Joshua Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning The Lord is salvation
Language Origin Hebrew
Origin Type single
Derived from the Hebrew name Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁגַ), meaning 'Yahweh is salvation'.
Common Nicknames
Josh
Alternative Spellings
Josue
Pronunciation: JO-shoo-uh
Themes & Categories
biblical traditional
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Joshua

According to SSA data, Joshua achieved its highest historical rank of #3 in 2002. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1989 with 44,100 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 51.5%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Joshua across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -51.5% Decline
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 44,100 births in 1989
Years in Top 100 55 yrs
Years in Top 500 103 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 465
1890s: 287
1900s: 243
1910s: 926
1920s: 1,143
1930s: 948
1940s: 1,156
1950s: 2,221
1960s: 5,326
1970s: 140,318
1980s: 396,524
1990s: 329,192
2000s: 232,053
2010s: 106,273
2020s: 31,854

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Jos-h-ua
Letter Count 6 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 25.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 25.7% of SSA names. Starts with J, a letter used by only 7.8% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Joshua.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Alaska
Top States Alaska, Nevada, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Florida
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Alaska #72 3,276 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada #82 7,060 1989 7.7% Decline
Wyoming Unranked 2,541 1981 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire #124 5,728 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #50 61,926 1989 8.8% Decline
Utah #118 14,768 1981 10.0% Decline
Hawaii #73 5,318 1989 57.1% Decline
Arizona #89 20,298 1989 3.1% Decline
Delaware #37 3,357 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #88 19,654 1984 24.0% Decline
Oregon #110 14,826 1979 20.5% Decline
New Mexico #67 8,672 1991 44.7% Decline
Vermont Unranked 2,668 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho #65 6,102 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #71 24,772 1981 7.4% Decline
Tennessee #62 31,891 1988 13.1% Decline
Maine #78 6,532 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #54 40,767 1990 25.4% Decline
North Carolina #54 40,700 1989 10.5% Decline
Maryland #26 21,097 1990 12.2% Decline
Indiana #64 32,844 1980 +0.9% Growth
California #71 138,215 1990 34.5% Decline
Virginia #61 31,026 1990 20.7% Decline
Kentucky #73 22,951 1981 5.7% Decline
Texas #58 100,573 1989 18.8% Decline
Montana #94 4,004 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #54 23,575 1985 34.6% Decline
Oklahoma #69 17,671 1984 +18.8% Growth
Rhode Island #82 4,627 1990 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #54 18,214 1989 11.1% Decline
Kansas #103 13,162 1981 32.1% Decline
Ohio #76 57,390 1988 16.8% Decline
Alabama #59 22,255 1989 25.3% Decline
Minnesota #121 22,183 1980 17.2% Decline
Missouri #72 26,628 1985 +3.7% Growth
West Virginia #175 11,121 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #84 23,563 1980 +9.4% Growth
Arkansas #66 12,777 1981 28.1% Decline
Michigan #100 44,564 1990 37.4% Decline
Nebraska #130 8,380 1981 16.0% Decline
North Dakota #164 3,850 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #96 12,263 1990 11.6% Decline
South Dakota #134 3,739 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #122 14,563 1980 17.5% Decline
Mississippi #53 13,062 1991 28.1% Decline
Massachusetts #63 24,708 1989 29.4% Decline
Illinois #83 49,305 1981 28.5% Decline
Pennsylvania #78 50,796 1988 29.5% Decline
New Jersey #53 24,279 1989 18.4% Decline
New York #63 67,735 1989 29.3% Decline
District of Columbia #28 3,536 1989 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

πŸ‘¦ Brother Suggestions
Benjamin Christopher Daniel Andrew Matthew Aaron Ryan Adam Ikaika Antuan
πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions
Ashley Sarah Andrea Alicia Alison Renata Amanda Alisha Lorena Cecily

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