Yoshua Boy

Popularity: #901 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: yo-SHOO-ah /joʊˈʃuːə/

Origin: Hebrew; Spanish

Meaning: Hebrew: God is salvation; Spanish: variant of Joshua

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Yoshua is derived from the Hebrew name יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshua), which means "Yahweh is salvation." The etymology can be traced back to the Hebrew root ישע (yasha), meaning "to save" or "to deliver." This name was later Hellenized to Ἰησοῦς (Iesous) in Greek, which was then adopted into Latin as Iesus. The transition into English occurred through the Old French form Jesus, which was used in the context of the Christian faith, particularly in reference to Jesus Christ, the central figure of Christianity, who is believed to have lived in the 1st century CE.

Historically, the name Yoshua is significant in biblical texts, as it is associated with Joshua, the successor of Moses who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. This figure is prominent in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in the Book of Joshua, which recounts the conquest of Canaan.

The name's usage in religious contexts has been reinforced through various translations of the Bible, including the Septuagint and the King James Version, which popularized the name in Christian communities from the early 17th century onward. Culturally, the name Yoshua carries connotations of leadership, faith, and divine assistance, reflecting the qualities attributed to its biblical namesake.

It has been embraced in various forms across different cultures, often appearing in variations like Joshua in English and Yeshua in Aramaic. The enduring nature of the name is a testament to its deep roots in religious tradition and its symbolic representation of salvation and guidance.

Famous people named Yoshua

In this section, you will find notable people named Yoshua. 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 Yoshua who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Yoshua 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.

Yoshua Bengio is a computer scientist best known for his work in deep learning and artificial intelligence.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Yoshua, 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 Yoshua. 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 Yoshua was first seen in the United States in 1984.

Yoshua has ranked as high as #6835 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Yoshua has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Yoshua 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 Yoshua was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

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 Yoshua.

Year Total Births Boy
2025 37 37
2024 31 31
2023 29 29
2022 31 31
2021 26 26
2020 15 15
2019 20 20
2018 14 14
2017 19 19
2016 20 20
2015 16 16
2014 18 18
2013 16 16
2012 21 21
2011 18 18
2010 24 24
2009 18 18
2008 27 27
2007 23 23
2006 13 13
2005 13 13
2004 19 19
2003 12 12
2002 8 8
2001 11 11
2000 13 13
1999 5 5
1998 8 8
1997 5 5
1996 12 12
1995 12 12
1994 11 11
1993 6 6
1992 11 11
1991 5 5
1989 8 8
1984 8 8

Top States for Yoshua (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 5
50%
TX 5
50%