Joshua is an extremely popular boys' name in United States, ranking #4 in 1998 with 28,095 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 1996 with 29,174 births ranking #5. In 1998, approximately 1 in every 68 boys born was named Joshua. STABLE Recent data shows the name is currently stable.
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.