Joshua is an extremely popular boys' name in England & Wales, ranking #5 in 2009 with 5,526 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2003 with 8,190 births ranking #2. Since 1996, the popularity has decreased by 29.9%. In 2009, approximately 1 in every 61 boys born was named Joshua. FALLING Recent data shows the name is currently falling.
Joshua is a Hebrew biblical name meaning "Yahweh is salvation". It combines strong scriptural heritage with a familiar modern sound, which explains its long popularity.
The name is central in the Bible through Joshua, the successor to Moses, and later remained widely used in Christian naming traditions. It became a major modern favourite without losing its biblical identity.