Joshua is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin, which means "Yahweh is salvation" or "God is my salvation". It is a common name among Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities. In the Bible, Joshua was the successor of Moses and led the Israelites into the Promised Land. The name has been popular in the United States since the 1970s and has remained consistently popular over the years. Many notable people bear the name Joshua, including Joshua Jackson, Joshua Radin, and Joshua Redman.
Joshua rank report (US ranking for newborns 2021)
Nicknames for Joshua
| Josh | JAH-shoo-ah | Shortened version of the name |
| Joshy | JAH-shee | Affectionate nickname |
| J | JAY | Single letter nickname |
| J-Man | JAY-man | Combination of the first letter and 'man |
| J-Dawg | JAY-dawg | Combination of the first letter and 'dawg |
| Jo | JOH | Shortened version of the name |
| Joey | JOH-ee | Diminutive form of the name |
| Joss | JAHSS | Shortened version of the name |
| Joshie | JAH-shee | Affectionate nickname |
| Joshi | JAH-shee | Endearing nickname |
| Josh | JAH-shoo-uh | A shortened version of the name Joshua. |
| Jo | JOH | A shortened version of the name Joshua. |
| Joss | JAHSS | A shortened and more unique version of the name Joshua. |
| J-man | JAY-man | A nickname that is often used between friends and peers. |
| J-dog | JAY-dawg | A playful nickname that is often used between friends and peers. |
| Joshi | JOH-shee | A cute and affectionate nickname that is often used by family members or romantic partners. |
| Jush | JUHSH | A shortened and more unique version of the name Joshua. |
Famous people named Joshua
| Joshua Jackson | Actor | Known for his roles in the TV series Dawson's Creek and Fringe |
| Joshua Redman | Jazz Musician | Known for his saxophone playing and collaborations with various artists |
| Joshua Bell | Violinist | One of the world's leading classical violinists |
| Joshua Kushner | Entrepreneur | Co-founder of the investment firm Thrive Capital and brother of Jared Kushner |
| Joshua Oppenheimer | Filmmaker | Director of the documentaries The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence |
| Joshua Tree | Musician | Lead singer and guitarist of the band U2 |
| Joshua Foer | Author | Author of the book Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything |
| Joshua Wong | Activist | Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and leader of the Umbrella Movement |
| Joshua Chamberlain | Civil War General | Union Army officer who played a key role in the Battle of Gettysburg |
| Joshua Reynolds | Artist | 18th-century English portrait painter and founder of the Royal Academy of Arts |
| Joshua Jackson | Actor | Best known for his roles in the television series Dawson's Creek and Fringe |
| Joshua Kadison | Singer-songwriter | Best known for his hit single, Jessie |
| Joshua Redman | Jazz saxophonist | One of the most acclaimed and successful jazz musicians of his generation |
| Joshua Oppenheimer | Documentary filmmaker | Best known for his films The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence |
| Joshua Chamberlain | Civil War general | Famous for his heroic defense of Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg |
| Joshua Bell | Violinist | One of the most celebrated classical musicians of his generation |
| Joshua Tree | Musician | Lead vocalist and guitarist for the band U2 |
| Joshua Wong | Activist | A prominent pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong |
| Joshua Reynolds | Painter | One of the most important portrait painters of the 18th century |
| Joshua Lederberg | Scientist | Nobel Prize-winning geneticist and microbiologist |
Fictional character called Joshua from pop culture
| Joshua Lyman | The West Wing | Chief of Staff for President Bartlet |
| Joshua Graham | Fallout: New Vegas | Former Legate of Caesar's Legion turned Mormon missionary |
| Joshua Nolan | Defiance | Main character and lawkeeper in the town of Defiance |
| Joshua "Josh" Baskin | Big | 13-year-old boy who wishes to be big and wakes up as an adult |
| Joshua "Josh" Wheaton | God's Not Dead | College student who defends his faith against an atheist philosophy professor |
| Joshua "Josh" Washington | Until Dawn | One of the eight main characters in the horror game Until Dawn |
| Joshua "Josh" Futturman | Future Man | A janitor who becomes a time traveler and saves the world |
| Joshua "Josh" Kirby | Josh Kirby... Time Warrior! | A teenage boy who travels through time to stop an evil genius |
| Joshua "Josh"amee Gibbs | Pirates of the Caribbean | Captain Jack Sparrow's loyal first mate |
| Joshua "Josh" Faraday | The Magnificent Seven | A gambler and gunslinger recruited to defend a town from bandits |
| Joshua Graham | Fallout: New Vegas character | A former Mormon missionary and co-founder of Caesar's Legion |
| Josh Lyman | The West Wing character | The Deputy Chief of Staff to the President of the United States |
| Josh Baskin | Big character | A young boy who wishes to be big and wakes up as an adult |
| Josh Wheaton | God's Not Dead character | A college student who defends his faith in a philosophy class |
| Josh Nichols | Drake & Josh character | One of the titular characters, a nerdy and intelligent teenager |
| Joshamee Gibbs | Pirates of the Caribbean character | Captain Jack Sparrow's loyal first mate |
| Josh Kovacs | Tower Heist character | The manager of a luxury apartment building who plans a heist |
| Josh Futturman | Future Man character | A janitor who becomes a time-traveling hero |
| Josh Chan | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend character | The romantic interest of the show's protagonist, Rebecca Bunch |
| Josh Washington | Until Dawn character | One of the eight teenagers trapped on a mountain and hunted by a killer |
Frequently Asked Questions about Joshua
| What is the meaning of the name Joshua? | The name Joshua means 'God is salvation' or 'Yahweh is salvation'. |
| What is the origin of the name Joshua? | The name Joshua is of Hebrew origin. |
| Is Joshua a popular name? | Yes, Joshua has been a popular name in the United States for several decades. |
| What are some famous people named Joshua? | Famous people named Joshua include Joshua Jackson (actor), Joshua Radin (singer-songwriter), and Joshua Redman (jazz saxophonist). |
| Is there a nickname for Joshua? | Yes, common nicknames for Joshua include Josh and Joss. |
| What is the origin of the name Joshua? | The name Joshua has Hebrew origins and means 'God is salvation'. |
| Is Joshua a common name? | Yes, Joshua is a popular name in the United States and many other countries. |
| What are some famous people named Joshua? | Famous people named Joshua include Joshua Jackson, Joshua Radin, and Joshua Redman. |
| What are some popular nicknames for Joshua? | Some popular nicknames for Joshua include Josh, Joss, and Joshy. |
| What is the meaning behind the name Joshua? | The name Joshua means 'God is salvation' or 'God rescues'. |
| Is Joshua a biblical name? | Yes, Joshua is a biblical name. In the Bible, Joshua was a prominent figure who succeeded Moses as the leader of the Israelites. |
| What is the popularity of the name Joshua in recent years? | The popularity of the name Joshua has declined in recent years, but it still remains a common name. |
| What are some similar names to Joshua? | Similar names to Joshua include Josiah, Jonah, and Joseph. |