The first name Josh
A boy’s name.
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒɑʃ/ 1 syllable Male
Meaning and origin
A diminutive of the male given name Joshua.
Josh is a short form of
.From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 45 boys were named Josh, making it the 758th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2002, with 657 births (#84).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Josh with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Josh at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 96 boys born in the United States were named Josh, the 1,703rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1979, when 531 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Josh
184 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Josh DuhamelAmerican actor and former model, born 1972
- Josh BrolinAmerican actor (born 1968)
- Josh RadnorAmerican actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, born 1974
- Josh GrobanAmerican singer and actor, born 1981
- Josh HollowayAmerican actor, born 1969
- Josh LucasAmerican actor (born 1971)
- Josh GadAmerican actor (born 1981)
- Josh CharlesAmerican actor, born 1971
- Josh ShapiroAmerican politician (born 1973)
- Josh KlinghofferAmerican musician, born 1979
- Josh McEachranEnglish association football player, born 1993
- Josh KeatonAmerican actor, born 1979
Questions
- How popular is the name Josh?
- In 2025, 45 boys born in England and Wales were named Josh, ranking 758th. Its peak was 2002, with 657 births.
- Is Josh a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 17,288 US babies named Josh since 1880 were boys.
- When was Josh most popular?
- 1979 in the United States, when 531 babies were named Josh, its highest rank at 339th.
- How do you pronounce Josh?
- Josh is /ˈd͡ʒɑʃ/, one syllable.