Josh

♂ Boy

Pronounced JAHSH /ˈd͡ʒɑʃ/Medium

Meaning: Yahweh is salvationMedium

In 30 seconds: Josh is an English short form rooted in the meaning 'Yahweh is salvation'. It is casual, friendly, and widely worn on its own.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningYahweh is salvation

U.S. rank (2025)#1703 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births96 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1979

Total births (all-time)≈ 17,289

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Josh began as a clipped, everyday form of a fuller name meaning 'Yahweh is salvation'. The scriptural name behind it has many cross-cultural relatives, including the Hebrew Yeshua and the Arabic Isa, Eesa, and Issa. Josh itself keeps things plain and approachable.

The name has been carried by the actor Josh O'Connor (born 1990) and the Negro Leagues baseball great Josh Gibson (1911-1947). It reads as relaxed and unpretentious, a one-syllable name that needs no formal version to stand behind it.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Josh is ' Yahweh is salvation', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Josh — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

IsaYeshuaEesaEssaIssa

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Josh O'Connor (1990–present)
Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.
★Josh Gibson (1911–1947)
Baseball player with Negro Leagues.

If you like Josh…

Yeshua— The Hebrew name carrying the same 'Yahweh is salvation' meaning.

Isa— An Arabic form of the same scriptural name tied to Josh.

Eesa— An Arabic spelling sharing Josh's root meaning.

Issa— Another Arabic form of the name behind Josh.

Explore names like Josh

By themeenglish

By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Josh mean?

Josh is usually explained as meaning ' Yahweh is salvation' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Josh?

It's commonly said JAHSH /ˈd͡ʒɑʃ/.

Is Josh a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Josh is used as a boy name.

How popular is Josh?

In 2024, Josh ranked #1736 in the U.S. for boys, with 95 births recorded.