Josh Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JOSH /dʒɒʃ/
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: God is my salvation; English: diminutive of Joshua
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Josh is a diminutive form of Joshua, which originates from the Hebrew name Yehoshua, meaning "Yahweh is salvation." The name is composed of two elements: "Yeho," a form of the divine name Yahweh, and "shua," meaning salvation or deliverance. This name transitioned into Greek as Iesous, which was then rendered into Latin as Iesus.
The Old French adaptation of the name led to the modern English form Joshua, with Josh emerging as a common short form in the 20th century. Historically, Joshua is a significant biblical figure, known as the successor of Moses who led the Israelites into the Promised Land, as recounted in the Book of Joshua, which is part of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament.
This text, likely compiled in the late 7th century BCE, recounts the conquest of Canaan and the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. The name Joshua gained prominence in Christian contexts, particularly following the translation of the Bible into English, including the King James Version published in 1611, which helped solidify its usage in the English-speaking world.
Culturally, the name Josh, as a shortened form, carries connotations of familiarity and approachability, often associated with friendly and relatable characters in literature and media. The enduring nature of the name can be attributed to its biblical roots and the positive attributes associated with its meaning.
In various traditions, the name has been linked to themes of leadership and faith, resonating with those who value its historical and spiritual significance. The diminutive Josh, while informal, reflects a sense of camaraderie and warmth, contributing to its lasting appeal.
Famous people named Josh
In this section, you will find notable people named Josh. 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 Josh who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Josh 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.
Josh Hutcherson is an actor best known for The Hunger Games, Bridge to Terabithia, and Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Josh Groban is a singer and songwriter best known for his albums Josh Groban, Closer, and Illuminations.
Josh Brolin is an actor best known for No Country for Old Men, Milk, and Avengers: Infinity War.
Josh Duhamel is an actor and former model best known for Transformers, Las Vegas, and Safe Haven.
Josh Homme is a musician best known as the frontman of Queens of the Stone Age and for his work with Eagles of Death Metal.
Josh Ritter is a singer-songwriter best known for his albums The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, So Runs the World Away, and Gathering.
Josh Allen is a professional football player best known for being the quarterback for the Buffalo Bills.
Josh Radnor is an actor and filmmaker best known for How I Met Your Mother, Liberal Arts, and Happythankyoumoreplease.
Josh McDaniels is a football coach best known for his work with the New England Patriots and as head coach of the Denver Broncos.
Fictional characters named Josh
The following list of fictional characters named Josh 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.
Josh Lyman is a fictional character from the TV series The West Wing. He is the Deputy Chief of Staff and a key advisor to the President, known for his intelligence and quick wit.
Josh Brolin is a fictional character from the film The Goonies. He is the older brother of Mikey and plays a crucial role in the adventure to find the treasure.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Josh, 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 Josh. 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 Josh was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Josh has ranked as high as #653 nationally, which occurred in 1979, and has been most popular in California, New York, Florida, Texas, and Georgia.
In the past 5 years the name Josh has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Josh 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 Josh was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Josh (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 |
|---|---|---|
| FL | 14 | |
| CA | 10 | |
| NY | 10 | |
| TX | 10 | |
| PA | 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 Josh.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 95 |
| 2023 | 89 |
| 2022 | 94 |
| 2021 | 100 |
| 2020 | 94 |
| 2019 | 103 |
| 2018 | 113 |
| 2017 | 129 |
| 2016 | 108 |
| 2015 | 123 |
| 2014 | 166 |
| 2013 | 151 |
| 2012 | 167 |
| 2011 | 179 |
| 2010 | 178 |
| 2009 | 205 |
| 2008 | 271 |
| 2007 | 316 |
| 2006 | 302 |
| 2005 | 266 |
| 2004 | 308 |
| 2003 | 273 |
| 2002 | 274 |
| 2001 | 246 |
| 2000 | 195 |
| 1999 | 194 |
| 1998 | 166 |
| 1997 | 189 |
| 1996 | 166 |
| 1995 | 183 |
| 1994 | 169 |
| 1993 | 186 |
| 1992 | 181 |
| 1991 | 181 |
| 1990 | 212 |
| 1989 | 214 |
| 1988 | 240 |
| 1987 | 233 |
| 1986 | 220 |
| 1985 | 248 |
| 1984 | 259 |
| 1983 | 299 |
| 1982 | 298 |
| 1981 | 348 |
| 1980 | 460 |
| 1979 | 531 |
| 1978 | 432 |
| 1977 | 383 |
| 1976 | 387 |
| 1975 | 456 |
| 1974 | 493 |
| 1973 | 401 |
| 1972 | 356 |
| 1971 | 325 |
| 1970 | 248 |
| 1969 | 193 |
| 1968 | 135 |
| 1967 | 105 |
| 1966 | 101 |
| 1965 | 105 |
| 1964 | 95 |
| 1963 | 115 |
| 1962 | 102 |
| 1961 | 132 |
| 1960 | 129 |
| 1959 | 128 |
| 1958 | 69 |
| 1957 | 53 |
| 1956 | 53 |
| 1955 | 50 |
| 1954 | 51 |
| 1953 | 58 |
| 1952 | 54 |
| 1951 | 41 |
| 1950 | 40 |
| 1949 | 46 |
| 1948 | 45 |
| 1947 | 40 |
| 1946 | 43 |
| 1945 | 34 |
| 1944 | 35 |
| 1943 | 25 |
| 1942 | 31 |
| 1941 | 31 |
| 1940 | 31 |
| 1939 | 32 |
| 1938 | 33 |
| 1937 | 38 |
| 1936 | 44 |
| 1935 | 34 |
| 1934 | 39 |
| 1933 | 30 |
| 1932 | 40 |
| 1931 | 30 |
| 1930 | 28 |
| 1929 | 36 |
| 1928 | 44 |
| 1927 | 41 |
| 1926 | 46 |
| 1925 | 45 |
| 1924 | 47 |
| 1923 | 49 |
| 1922 | 50 |
| 1921 | 36 |
| 1920 | 45 |
| 1919 | 41 |
| 1918 | 49 |
| 1917 | 42 |
| 1916 | 55 |
| 1915 | 40 |
| 1914 | 39 |
| 1913 | 37 |
| 1912 | 39 |
| 1911 | 30 |
| 1910 | 23 |
| 1909 | 21 |
| 1908 | 26 |
| 1907 | 19 |
| 1906 | 13 |
| 1905 | 17 |
| 1904 | 18 |
| 1903 | 21 |
| 1902 | 17 |
| 1901 | 18 |
| 1900 | 25 |
| 1899 | 17 |
| 1898 | 22 |
| 1897 | 21 |
| 1896 | 23 |
| 1895 | 27 |
| 1894 | 18 |
| 1893 | 16 |
| 1892 | 22 |
| 1891 | 19 |
| 1890 | 24 |
| 1889 | 22 |
| 1888 | 24 |
| 1887 | 15 |
| 1886 | 29 |
| 1885 | 23 |
| 1884 | 27 |
| 1883 | 27 |
| 1882 | 14 |
| 1881 | 22 |
| 1880 | 31 |