Joshua
Joshua Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
JOSH-yoo-ah
Meaning of Joshua: Joshua derives from the Hebrew Yehoshua, a compound of Yahweh and the verb yasha meaning to save. The form shortens into Yeshua<
Joshua son of Nun served as Moses's assistant during the Exodus and succeeded him as leader of the Israelites. The Book of Joshua records his crossing of the Jordan, the fall of Jericho's walls, and the conquest and distribution of Canaan among the twelve tribes.
Medieval Europe rarely used Joshua outside Jewish communities, treating the form as separate from Jesus. English Puritans then revived the name during the 17th century alongside other Old Testament heroes, and colonial American records show Joshua spreading across New England church rolls from the 1640s onward through the Revolutionary era.
What Does Joshua Mean? Origin & Etymology
Per US Social Security Administration records, Joshua held a top 10 position every year from 1979 through 2009, an unbroken 31-year run at the top of American naming charts. The name peaked at rank three in 1983 and 1984 with over 30,500 annual US births.
As of 2024, Joshua holds rank 57 with 5,244 US births, softly descending from its late-20th-century dominance. The name ranks among the top 50 across England and Wales, Australia, Canada, and Ireland. The 1975 film Jaws featured a memorable Joshua reference that helped spark the name's late 20th-century surge.
Variants across languages include Hebrew Yehoshua, Yiddish Yoshe, Spanish Josue, Portuguese Josue, French Josue, Italian Giosue, Arabic Yusha, and Russian Iisus. Notably, the short form Josh holds independent standing in US records at rank 2850 in 2024, while Jehu appears as an alternate Hebrew form in scriptural naming traditions.
How Popular Is Joshua?
Numerology & Symbolism of Joshua
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Joshua – Similar Names & Alternatives
Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity
Frequently Asked Questions about Joshua
What does Joshua mean?
Joshua means Yahweh saves, from Hebrew Yehoshua (YHWH = God, yasha = to save). Notably, Joshua and Jesus share the same Hebrew root: Yehoshua = Iesous (Greek) = Jesus (English).
What is the origin of Joshua?
How popular is Joshua in the US?
Joshua ranks 57 for boys in the US as of 2024, per SSA data. It ranked in the US top 5 from 1979 to 2009 and held rank 1 in 1999. Joshua has ranked in the top 60 since 1967.
What are variants of Joshua?
Is Joshua more popular for girls or boys?
Joshua is given predominantly to boys. It ranks 57 for boys in the US in 2024 and does not appear in the top 1000 girls’ names.
Joshua – Name Variants & Spellings
| Variant | Language |
|---|---|
| Josh | English short form |
| Josua | German |
| Yeshua | Hebrew original |
| Jesus | Spanish/Greek form |