Hosea Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ho-ZAY-uh //hoʊˈzeɪə//
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: salvation
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Hosea originates from the Hebrew name הוֹשֵׁעַ (Hoshéa), which means "salvation" or "to save." This name is derived from the root verb ישע (yasha), meaning "to deliver" or "to rescue." The transition of the name into other languages occurred through the Greek form Ὡσηέ (Hōsēé) and subsequently into Latin as Osee, before finally being adopted into Old French and then English. The name is thus rooted in ancient Semitic languages and has traveled through various linguistic transformations over the centuries.
Historically, Hosea is most notably recognized as a biblical figure, being one of the twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew Bible. His prophetic ministry is dated to the 8th century BCE, during a tumultuous period in Israel's history, marked by political instability and moral decay.
The Book of Hosea, which bears his name, addresses themes of infidelity and redemption, using the metaphor of marital fidelity to illustrate the relationship between God and Israel. This text has been influential in both Jewish and Christian traditions, contributing to the theological understanding of divine love and forgiveness.
Culturally, the name Hosea carries significant weight due to its biblical roots and the moral lessons encapsulated in the prophetic writings. It has been associated with themes of hope and restoration, resonating through various religious teachings and interpretations.
The name has also inspired various diminutive forms and related names, such as Oshea, which reflect its enduring legacy in different cultures. Overall, Hosea remains a name rich in historical and spiritual significance, symbolizing the concepts of salvation and divine mercy.
Famous people named Hosea
In this section, you will find notable people named Hosea. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Hosea who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Hosea who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Hosea Williams was a civil rights leader best known for his work with Martin Luther King Jr., the Selma to Montgomery marches, and the Atlanta chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Fictional characters named Hosea
The following list of fictional characters named Hosea is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Hosea is a fictional character from the video game Red Dead Redemption 2. He is a senior member of the Van der Linde gang and serves as a mentor and father figure to Arthur Morgan.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Hosea, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Hosea. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Hosea was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Hosea has ranked as high as #820 nationally, which occurred in 1925, and has been most popular in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, and Louisiana.
In the past 5 years the name Hosea has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Hosea is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Hosea was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Hosea (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| OH | 7 | |
| PA | 7 | |
| CA | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Hosea.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 60 |
| 2023 | 56 |
| 2022 | 65 |
| 2021 | 49 |
| 2020 | 61 |
| 2019 | 44 |
| 2018 | 61 |
| 2017 | 56 |
| 2016 | 56 |
| 2015 | 68 |
| 2014 | 64 |
| 2013 | 45 |
| 2012 | 62 |
| 2011 | 40 |
| 2010 | 51 |
| 2009 | 26 |
| 2008 | 30 |
| 2007 | 29 |
| 2006 | 32 |
| 2005 | 27 |
| 2004 | 26 |
| 2003 | 29 |
| 2002 | 28 |
| 2001 | 37 |
| 2000 | 32 |
| 1999 | 26 |
| 1998 | 24 |
| 1997 | 23 |
| 1996 | 38 |
| 1995 | 27 |
| 1994 | 27 |
| 1993 | 31 |
| 1992 | 23 |
| 1991 | 47 |
| 1990 | 40 |
| 1989 | 31 |
| 1988 | 38 |
| 1987 | 26 |
| 1986 | 29 |
| 1985 | 34 |
| 1984 | 18 |
| 1983 | 26 |
| 1982 | 22 |
| 1981 | 30 |
| 1980 | 29 |
| 1979 | 40 |
| 1978 | 30 |
| 1977 | 41 |
| 1976 | 26 |
| 1975 | 45 |
| 1974 | 42 |
| 1973 | 48 |
| 1972 | 45 |
| 1971 | 38 |
| 1970 | 39 |
| 1969 | 34 |
| 1968 | 46 |
| 1967 | 36 |
| 1966 | 29 |
| 1965 | 42 |
| 1964 | 49 |
| 1963 | 60 |
| 1962 | 42 |
| 1961 | 50 |
| 1960 | 51 |
| 1959 | 54 |
| 1958 | 60 |
| 1957 | 56 |
| 1956 | 58 |
| 1955 | 58 |
| 1954 | 55 |
| 1953 | 43 |
| 1952 | 47 |
| 1951 | 69 |
| 1950 | 55 |
| 1949 | 44 |
| 1948 | 57 |
| 1947 | 47 |
| 1946 | 40 |
| 1945 | 26 |
| 1944 | 38 |
| 1943 | 43 |
| 1942 | 35 |
| 1941 | 52 |
| 1940 | 55 |
| 1939 | 49 |
| 1938 | 34 |
| 1937 | 55 |
| 1936 | 52 |
| 1935 | 31 |
| 1934 | 47 |
| 1933 | 50 |
| 1932 | 59 |
| 1931 | 49 |
| 1930 | 48 |
| 1929 | 39 |
| 1928 | 41 |
| 1927 | 67 |
| 1926 | 58 |
| 1925 | 74 |
| 1924 | 65 |
| 1923 | 72 |
| 1922 | 49 |
| 1921 | 56 |
| 1920 | 62 |
| 1919 | 56 |
| 1918 | 49 |
| 1917 | 49 |
| 1916 | 56 |
| 1915 | 45 |
| 1914 | 32 |
| 1913 | 33 |
| 1912 | 32 |
| 1911 | 13 |
| 1910 | 21 |
| 1909 | 12 |
| 1908 | 17 |
| 1907 | 12 |
| 1906 | 13 |
| 1905 | 20 |
| 1904 | 15 |
| 1903 | 11 |
| 1902 | 25 |
| 1901 | 11 |
| 1900 | 18 |
| 1899 | 6 |
| 1898 | 18 |
| 1897 | 11 |
| 1896 | 14 |
| 1895 | 12 |
| 1894 | 7 |
| 1893 | 15 |
| 1892 | 11 |
| 1891 | 10 |
| 1890 | 10 |
| 1889 | 15 |
| 1888 | 17 |
| 1887 | 16 |
| 1886 | 17 |
| 1885 | 24 |
| 1884 | 19 |
| 1883 | 11 |
| 1882 | 10 |
| 1881 | 16 |
| 1880 | 10 |