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Joshua

Joshua is a boy's name of Hebrew and Biblical origin meaning “Yahweh is salvation.” In 2024 it was given to 5,244 boys in the United States.

Joshua at a glance

Gender
Boy name
Origin
Biblical & Christian · English & American
Meaning
“Yahweh is salvation”
Pronunciation
/ˈd͡ʒɒʃ(j)ʊə/

About the name Joshua

Joshua belongs to the Biblical & Christian and English & American tradition. Its meaning — “Yahweh is salvation” — is the sense carried by its Hebrew and Biblical roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page.

In the United States, Joshua first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #3 in 2002, and in 2024 5,244 babies received the name — 1,244,059 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Joshua in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#3 in 2002
Peak year
1989
Babies named Joshua in 2024
5,244
Total since 1880
1,244,059

Similar names

More names from the Biblical & Christian shelf:

JamesHebrew and BiblicalJohnHebrew and BiblicalMichaelHebrew and BiblicalDavidHebrew and BiblicalJosephHebrew and BiblicalThomasHebrew and BiblicalDanielHebrew and BiblicalMatthewHebrew and Biblical

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Joshua mean?

Joshua means “Yahweh is salvation” in its Hebrew and Biblical roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Joshua a boy or girl name?

Joshua is a boy name. In 2024, 5,244 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Joshua?

Joshua comes from the Biblical & Christian and English & American tradition.

How popular is the name Joshua?

Joshua first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #3 in 2002, and 5,244 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Joshua?

Joshua is pronounced /ˈd͡ʒɒʃ(j)ʊə/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.