Josh
A diminutive of the male given name Joshua.
Every Josh since 1880 — 17,288 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Josh
Josh is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,703 in 2025 with 96 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 17,288 American babies have been named Josh. Its peak came in 1979, when 531 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Josh stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Josh year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 96 | #1,703 |
| 2024 | 95 | #1,744 |
| 2023 | 89 | #1,809 |
| 2022 | 94 | #1,765 |
| 2021 | 100 | #1,660 |
| 2020 | 94 | #1,682 |
| 2019 | 103 | #1,609 |
| 2018 | 113 | #1,515 |
| 2017 | 129 | #1,374 |
| 2016 | 108 | #1,543 |
| 2015 | 123 | #1,401 |
| 2014 | 166 | #1,144 |
| 2013 | 152 | #1,183 |
| 2012 | 167 | #1,109 |
| 2011 | 180 | #1,052 |
| 2010 | 178 | #1,083 |
| 2009 | 205 | #976 |
| 2008 | 271 | #810 |
| 2007 | 316 | #726 |
| 2006 | 302 | #715 |
| 2005 | 266 | #751 |
| 2004 | 308 | #663 |
| 2003 | 273 | #698 |
| 2002 | 274 | #676 |
| 2001 | 246 | #716 |
| 2000 | 195 | #822 |
| 1995 | 183 | #794 |
| 1990 | 212 | #700 |
| 1985 | 248 | #561 |
| 1980 | 461 | #371 |
| 1975 | 456 | #362 |
| 1970 | 248 | #511 |
| 1965 | 105 | #728 |
| 1960 | 129 | #693 |
| 1955 | 50 | #1,071 |
| 1950 | 39 | #1,150 |
| 1945 | 34 | #1,135 |
| 1940 | 31 | #1,220 |
| 1935 | 34 | #1,133 |
| 1930 | 28 | #1,378 |
| 1925 | 45 | #1,033 |
| 1920 | 45 | #1,043 |
| 1915 | 40 | #1,006 |
| 1910 | 23 | #610 |
| 1905 | 17 | #580 |
| 1900 | 25 | #461 |
| 1895 | 27 | #364 |
| 1890 | 24 | #364 |
| 1885 | 23 | #371 |
| 1880 | 31 | #300 |
Famous people named Josh
- Josh Brolin Actor · b. 1968
- Josh Duhamel Actor · b. 1972
- Josh Radnor Actor · b. 1974
- Josh Holloway Actor · b. 1969
- Josh Hartnett Actor · b. 1978
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Josh mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Joshua.
How popular is the name Josh in 2025?
Josh ranked #1,703 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 96 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Josh?
17,288 babies have been named Josh in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Josh most popular?
Josh peaked in 1979, when 531 newborns received the name.
Is Josh a boy or girl name?
Josh is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Josh rising or falling?
Josh is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Josh?
Well-known people named Josh include Josh Brolin (actor), Josh Duhamel (actor), Josh Radnor (actor).