Joshua is a highly popular boys' name in United States, ranking #40 in 2018 with 7,443 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 1996 with 29,174 births ranking #5. Since 1996, the popularity has decreased by 74.5%. In 2018, approximately 1 in every 244 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.