Josian
A diminutive form of the French feminine name Josiane, derived from Joseph.
Name Census estimates that about 360 living Americans carry the first name Josian. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Josian today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Josian births was 2014 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Josian. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
360
~ 1 in 952,095 Americans
Peak year
2014
21 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,533
Tracked since 1984
Popularity
Josian: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Josian from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 145 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Josian remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Josian by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Josian during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Josians live
Origin
Meaning and history of Josian
The name Josian has its roots in the Hebrew language and is a variation of the name Josiah, which means "God will support" or "God will heal." This name finds its origins in ancient Judaic culture, dating back to biblical times.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Josian can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible, where it refers to a king of Judah who reigned from 640 to 609 BCE. King Josiah is remembered for his efforts to reform the religious practices of his people and restore the worship of the God of Israel.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Josian remained in use among Jewish communities and eventually spread to other cultures through cultural exchange and migration. In the 12th century, a French nobleman named Josian de Souabe was recorded as a participant in the Third Crusade.
During the Renaissance period, the name gained popularity in Europe, particularly in England. One notable figure was Josian Arundel, an English courtier and landowner who lived from 1561 to 1639.
In the 17th century, Josian Priest, an English clergyman and writer, was born in 1601 and is known for his contributions to religious literature.
Another notable bearer of the name was Josian Conder, an English writer and artist who lived from 1789 to 1855. She was known for her literary works and her advocacy for women's education.
In the 19th century, Josian F. Willard, an American educator and activist, was born in 1839. She played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement and was a prominent figure in the fight for women's rights.
While the name Josian has been more commonly used as a masculine name throughout history, it has also been adopted as a feminine name in some cultures and regions.
People
Josian + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Josian as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Josian: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Josian?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 360 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Josian going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 952,095 US residents.
Is Josian a common name?
We classify Josian as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 364 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Josian most popular?
The single biggest year for Josian was 2014, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Josian is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Josian a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Josian in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.