Yoshua: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#3,236

among boys · ↑453 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Yoshua · +19% vs 2024

How common

1 in 46,164

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2025

37 babies

All-time total

603

#7,052 all-time among boys

First recorded

1984

in Social Security records

Yoshua popularity over time

603 babies have been named Yoshua since 1984, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

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	Boys	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–
1970s	–	–	–	–
1980s	16	2	–	#4,966
1990s	75	8	+369%	#5,117
2000s	157	16	+109%	#3,917
2010s	186	19	+18%	#4,236
2020s (to 2025)	169	28	+51%	#3,236

Where Yoshua is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	42	0.02	outside top 500
2027	46	0.03	outside top 500
2028	50	0.03	outside top 500
2029	54	0.03	outside top 500
2030	58	0.03	outside top 500

The story of Yoshua

Yoshua is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,236 in 2025 with 37 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1984, 603 American babies have been named Yoshua. Its peak came in 2025, when 37 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

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

How old are people named Yoshua?

The median living Yoshua is about 13 years old; half are between 4 and 21. An estimated 600 people named Yoshua 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.

Yoshua year by year

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

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	37	#3,236
2024	31	#3,689
2023	29	#3,875
2022	31	#3,688
2021	26	#4,114
2020	15	#5,967
2019	20	#4,948
2018	14	#6,333
2017	19	#5,105
2016	20	#4,936
2015	16	#5,736
2014	18	#5,246
2013	16	#5,651
2012	21	#4,679
2011	18	#5,197
2010	24	#4,236
2009	18	#5,323
2008	27	#3,917
2007	23	#4,367
2006	13	#6,450
2005	13	#6,211
2004	19	#4,598
2003	12	#6,246
2002	8	#8,436
2001	11	#6,436
2000	13	#5,575
1995	12	#5,117
1990	–	–
1985	–	–
1980	–	–
1975	–	–
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 Yoshua, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Yoshua?

The median living Yoshua is about 13 years old. Half of all living Yoshuas are between 4 and 21 years old.

How many people named Yoshua are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Yoshua are alive in the United States, based on 603 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Yoshua in 2025?

Yoshua ranked #3,236 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 37 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Yoshua?

603 babies have been named Yoshua in the United States since 1984, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Yoshua most popular?

Yoshua peaked in 2025, when 37 newborns received the name.

Is Yoshua a boy or girl name?

Yoshua is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Yoshua rising or falling?

Yoshua is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Yoshua become more popular?

Yoshua is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 58 boys named Yoshua in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Yoshua

Names that sound and feel close to Yoshua: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Yoshua with similar names → More names starting with Y →