Josua
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh is salvation".
Name Census estimates that about 740 living Americans carry the first name Josua. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Josua today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Josua births was 1987 (50 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Josua. 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
740
~ 1 in 463,182 Americans
Peak year
1987
50 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
2020 SSA rank
#9,102
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Josua: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Josua from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 335 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Josua 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 Josua during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Josuas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, Michigan recorded the most babies named Josua, while Michigan, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 23 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Josua
The name Josua has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, with its earliest known use dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew name "Yehoshua" or "Yeshua," which means "Yahweh (God) is salvation" or "Yahweh is deliverance." The name is a combination of two Hebrew words: "Yeho" (representing the name of God) and "shua" (meaning salvation or deliverance).
One of the most notable historical references to the name Josua is found in the Bible's Old Testament. Josua, also known as Joshua, was a prominent figure in the Book of Joshua, where he is depicted as the successor to Moses and the leader who led the Israelites into the Promised Land of Canaan. His name is mentioned numerous times throughout the biblical narrative, and his story is extensively recorded in the Book of Joshua.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Josua can be traced back to biblical times, as mentioned above. However, the name has also been used throughout history by various individuals from different cultures and backgrounds.
One famous figure who bore the name Josua was Josua Stegmann, a German Lutheran theologian and hymnwriter who lived from 1588 to 1632. Another notable individual was Josua Reichert, a German engraver and printmaker who lived from 1637 to 1698.
In the field of literature, Josua Arndius, a German Lutheran theologian and writer, was known for his works, particularly his influential book "True Christianity," published in the 17th century.
Moving forward in history, Josua Zittel, a German paleontologist and geologist, made significant contributions to the study of fossils and stratigraphic geology during the 19th century (1801-1876).
Additionally, Josua Heschel, a Polish-born American rabbi and theologian, was a prominent figure in the 20th century (1907-1972). He was known for his influential writings on Jewish philosophy and his advocacy for civil rights and social justice.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Josua, showcasing its enduring presence across various cultures, time periods, and fields of endeavor.
People
Josua + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Josua 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
Josua: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Josua?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 740 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Josua 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 463,182 US residents.
Is Josua a common name?
We classify Josua as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 768 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Josua most popular?
The single biggest year for Josua was 1987, when 50 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Josua is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Josua a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Josua 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.