Joshua
Joshua is a popular choice in the UK, ranked #53 in 2025. There's a good chance they'll share their name with at least one classmate throughout school.
Hebrew — God is salvation
About the Name Joshua
Joshua is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 27 places over five years. Its high point was #2 in 2002, and it now sits at #50. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 30 of the last 30 years inside the UK top 100 โ a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.
Etymologically, Joshua comes from Hebrew, where it means "God is salvation". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well โ they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.
Joshua is a very popular name in the UK — yet a class of 28 is small enough that your child will very likely be the only Joshua on the register.
It ranks similarly in the US at #66, suggesting broad transatlantic appeal.
โญ Famous People Named Joshua
- Joshua Selman โ Joshua Selman Nimmak is a Nigerian gospel preacher, revivalist and author from Plateau State, Nigeria.
- Joshua Nascimento โ Joshua Seixas Arantes do Nascimento is a Brazilian former footballer who played as a forward.
- Prem Joshua โ Prem Joshua (Hindi: เคชเฅเคฐเฅเคฎ เคเฅเคถเฅเค) is a German musician, active since 1969.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Joshua
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Joshua
Almost certainly the only Joshua in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Joshua
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
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Famous People Named Joshua
Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia