Josha: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1970s	9	72	81	8	–	#2,841
1980s	12	207	219	22	+170%	#2,027
1990s	7	122	129	13	-41%	#2,524
2000s	–	25	25	3	-81%	#8,644
2010s	–	–	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–	–	–

Decade

Girls

Boys

Total

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

–

1920s

–

1930s

–

1940s

–

1950s

–

1960s

–

1970s

–

#2,841

1980s

207

219

+170%

#2,027

1990s

122

129

-41%

#2,524

2000s

–

-81%

#8,644

2010s

–

2020s (to 2025)

–

The story of Josha

Josha is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1971, 454 American babies have been named Josha, about 94% boys and 6% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1982, when 27 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

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 Josha stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Josha?

The median living Josha is about 38 years old; half are between 34 and 44. An estimated 400 people named Josha are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Josha year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–	–	–
2024	–	–	–	–
2023	–	–	–	–
2022	–	–	–	–
2021	–	–	–	–
2020	–	–	–	–
2019	–	–	–	–
2018	–	–	–	–
2017	–	–	–	–
2016	–	–	–	–
2015	–	–	–	–
2014	–	–	–	–
2013	–	–	–	–
2012	–	–	–	–
2011	–	–	–	–
2010	–	–	–	–
2009	–	–	–	–
2008	–	–	–	–
2007	–	–	–	–
2006	–	–	–	–
2005	–	–	5	#12,316
2004	–	–	–	–
2003	–	–	6	#10,199
2002	–	–	–	–
2001	–	–	7	#8,733
2000	–	–	7	#8,644
1995	–	–	9	#6,164
1990	–	–	27	#2,524
1985	–	–	21	#2,466
1980	–	–	17	#2,790
1975	–	–	8	#4,112
1970	–	–	–	–
1965	–	–	–	–
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Josha, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Josha?

The median living Josha is about 38 years old. Half of all living Joshas are between 34 and 44 years old.

How many people named Josha are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Josha are alive in the United States, based on 454 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Josha in 2025?

Josha did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Josha?

454 babies have been named Josha in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Josha most popular?

Josha peaked in 1982, when 27 newborns received the name.

Is Josha a boy or girl name?

Josha is used for both: about 6% of babies named Josha have been girls and 94% boys.

Is the name Josha rising or falling?

Josha has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Josha

Josha popularity over time

The story of Josha

How old are people named Josha?

Josha year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Josha