Josh

“Variant of Joshua — Yahweh is salvation” — Hebrew origin

Boy's name · #1703 in the US (2025) · Retro

Josh reached its best rank, #300, in 1880 and ranked #1703 in 2025. About 17,000 boys have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Around the world: about 1 in 950 boys in Ireland (2025) · about 1 in 980 boys in Scotland (2025) · about 1 in 2,800 boys in N. Ireland (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 6 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Joshes

Josh Duhamel — American actor and former model
Josh Hutcherson — American actor
Josh Brolin — American actor (born 1968)
Josh Hartnett — American actor and producer
Josh Radnor — American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter

In stories & tradition

Josh Lyman — The West Wing
Josh Barrett — Home and Away
Josh Willis — Neighbours

What Joshes become

Among 2,527 notable people named Josh:

Sports figures appear 2.98× more often than among typical names — e.g. Josh McEachran, English association football player.

Similar names: Jeshua · Marion · Joe · Zack · Johnnie · Joziah

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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