Josh
Boy name · #1699 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
Josh is currently the #1699 boy name in the United States — 96 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1396, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,750 boys born in 2025 was named Josh.
Babies named Josh per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Josh first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 31 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1979, when 531 boys were named Josh — good for #339 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Josh against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Josh in class?
Josh scores 69 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Josh will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Josh is most common
Geography matters for names, and Josh is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Joshs were FL (17), NY (10), TX (10), NJ (7), CA (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Josh
Statistically, parents drawn to Josh tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jed, Judd, Jamin, Reggie, and Heath.
JedJuddJaminReggieHeathJaimeJermaineToby
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Josh | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 96 | #1699 |
| 2024 | 95 | #1735 |
| 2023 | 89 | #1803 |
| 2022 | 94 | #1760 |
| 2021 | 100 | #1658 |
| 2020 | 94 | #1679 |
| 2019 | 103 | #1606 |
| 2018 | 113 | #1513 |
| 2017 | 129 | #1373 |
| 2016 | 108 | #1539 |
| 2015 | 123 | #1396 |
| 2014 | 166 | #1143 |
| 2013 | 152 | #1180 |
| 2012 | 167 | #1109 |
| 2011 | 180 | #1050 |
| 2010 | 178 | #1082 |
| 2009 | 205 | #973 |
| 2008 | 271 | #809 |
| 2007 | 316 | #724 |
| 2006 | 302 | #715 |
| 2005 | 266 | #751 |
| 2004 | 308 | #663 |
| 2003 | 273 | #698 |
| 2002 | 274 | #676 |
| 2001 | 246 | #714 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Josh a popular boy name?
Josh ranked #1699 among boys in 2025 with 96 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1396.
When was the name Josh most popular?
Josh peaked in 1979, when 531 American boys received the name (ranked #339 that year). Since 1979 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Josh?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,750 newborn American boys was named Josh. It scores 69/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.