How Many People Are Named Joshua?
Complete statistics for the name Joshua: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Joshua has been a steady choice for parents, with over a million born in the U.S. and nearly 1.2 million people still living today. That's one in every 277 Americans. It peaked in 1989 when almost 44,000 babies were named Joshua.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life path number 2 is traditionally associated with harmony, cooperation, and sensitivity. People with this number are thought to be natural peacemakers who thrive in partnership and bring balance to those around them.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 33All 1,248,955 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1989Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Joshua Through the Generations
Through the generations, Joshua has maintained a classic yet modern appeal, staying in the U.S. top 10 names for 53 years. The gap between the all-time births and current living population is quite significant, indicating a high turnover rate. Most people named Joshua are in their thirties or older, with only a small percentage over 60, showing a fairly even age distribution. This trend, combined with the peak in 1989, paints a picture of a name that was very popular during a specific era but has since declined in popularity.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named Joshua
Joshua is a given name derived from the Hebrew יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, prominently belonging the early Hebrew leader of the Exodus period Joshua, who has a major role in several books of the Bible. In later periods, a common alternative form of the name was Yeshua which corresponds to the Greek spelling Ἰησοῦς (Iesous), from which, through the Latin Iesus, comes the English spelling Jesus. As a result of the origin of the name, a majority of people before the 17th century who have this name were Jewish. A variant, truncated form of the name, Josh, gained popularity in the United States in the 1920s.…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Joshua's Hebrew roots
📄 About the Name Joshua
How Many People Have the Name Joshua?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 3,344 people in the United States currently share the name Joshua. That works out to roughly 1 in every 99,118 Americans, placing it in the Rare category.
Is Joshua a Common or Rare Name?
Joshua is classified as Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Joshua Mean?
Joshua means "God is salvation" and comes from Hebrew origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 2.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Joshua in SSA data, approximately 100% are male and 0% are female.
When Was Joshua Most Popular?
The name Joshua reached peak popularity in 1989, with 44,307 babies registered that year. Current trend: Declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Joshua?
Approximately 3,344 people named Joshua live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 3,344. That works out to roughly 1 in 99,118 Americans.
Is Joshua a rare name?
Joshua is classified as Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 99,118 Americans has this name.
What does the name Joshua mean?
Joshua means "God is salvation" and comes from Hebrew origins.
Is Joshua more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 100% of people named Joshua are male and 0% are female.
When was Joshua most popular?
Joshua peaked in 1989 with 44,307 births that year. Current trend: Declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.