Joshua
Say it: JOSH-oo-a/ˈd͡ʒɒʃ(j)ʊə/
BoyMeans usually explained as "God is salvation"6 letters3 syllables
#81
in Ireland (2025)
#84 with spellings combined
74
babies in 2025
#17
best rank (2003)
6,474
babies since 1974
Down 37
10-year rank change
Joshua through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 74 | #84 |
| 2024 | 80 | #76 |
| 2023 | 89 | #74 |
| 2022 | 98 | #71 |
| 2021 | 108 | #66 |
| 2020 | 111 | #57 |
| 2019 | 128 | #55 |
| 2018 | 146 | #52 |
| 2017 | 155 | #50 |
| 2016 | 179 | #44 |
| 2015 | 162 | #47 |
| 2014 | 203 | #38 |
| 2013 | 198 | #42 |
| 2012 | 210 | #41 |
| 2011 | 249 | #33 |
| 2010 | 259 | #36 |
| 2009 | 260 | #30 |
| 2008 | 302 | #27 |
| 2007 | 311 | #29 |
| 2006 | 341 | #27 |
| 2005 | 324 | #25 |
| 2004 | 364 | #22 |
| 2003 | 352 | #17 |
| 2002 | 345 | #19 |
| 2001 | 257 | #28 |
| 2000 | 216 | #34 |
| 1999 | 147 | #44 |
| 1998 | 108 | #52 |
| 1997 | 139 | #57 |
| 1996 | 123 | #61 |
| 1995 | 94 | #72 |
| 1994 | 86 | #74 |
| 1993 | 52 | #105 |
| 1992 | 51 | #107 |
| 1991 | 42 | #115 |
| 1990 | 27 | #144 |
| 1989 | 24 | #146 |
| 1988 | 9 | #201 |
| 1987 | 15 | #172 |
| 1986 | 3 | #317 |
| 1985 | 8 | #207 |
| 1984 | 7 | #224 |
| 1983 | 3 | #330 |
| 1981 | 4 | #292 |
| 1980 | 4 | #288 |
| 1975 | 3 | #321 |
| 1974 | 4 | #288 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Joshua mean?
Usually explained as "God is salvation"
Hebrew Yehoshua, the same name that gave Jesus.
Say it right
JOSHooa
The story of Joshua
Joshua comes from the Hebrew Yehoshua, usually explained as “Yahweh is salvation”. In the Bible Joshua takes over from Moses as leader of the Israelites and leads them into Canaan. The Book of Joshua is named after him, and Josh is the usual short form.
The name is closely tied to Jesus. A later form of the same Hebrew name, Yeshua, became Iēsous in Greek and Jesus in Latin and English. Before the seventeenth century most people called Joshua were Jewish.
Joshua first reached the CSO list in 1974. It climbed through the 1990s, reached its best rank of number 17 in 2003, and had its biggest year in 2004, with 364 boys. It was even more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached 6th in 2002.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Joshua (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Joshua (name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Josh
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Joshua | 74 | 6,474 |
In Northern Ireland
#55 in 2025 with 39 babies. Best rank #6 (2002); 3,882 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.