Josh Name Popularity

Charts | Table | About | By Year

How popular is Josh?

In 2018 the uncommon name Josh, ranked the 1,514th Most Popular Boys Name in the United States.

This once, top 1000 name, Josh is currently less popular.

Its highest popularity RANKING of #300 was reached in 1880.

However, the name was bestowed upon the greatest number of babies in 1979 with 531 occurrences.

In any year, the least number of babies named Josh was 13 in 1906.

Decidely upward trends in the number of babies given the name Josh occurred roughly during the years 1909-1912, 1913-1916, 1955-1959, 1967-1974, and 1976-1979, whereas unequivocal downward movement occurred about 1903-1906, and 2012-2016.

For a number of years, the name Josh has been moving downward in popularity. Of late, continuing the trend, the number of parents selecting the name Josh for their newborn has dropped.

What does the future hold for the popularity of Josh?

Overall, when compared to its most prominent year, the name's popularity is at a low point.

The name Josh is still rare and will probably continue to drift downward in popularity.

*Mouse over the charts or scroll down to the table for data details.

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for Percentages.

		Josh (Boy)
Year	%	No. of Babies Given Name	Popul. Rank
2018		112	1,514
2017		128	1,377
2016		108	1,538
2015		122	1,405
2014		165	1,146
2013		151	1,188
2012		167	1,109
2011		178	1,060
2010		178	1,083
2009		205	976
2008		269	816
2007		316	726
2006		301	717
2005		266	751
2004		308	662
2003		273	698
2002		274	676
2001		246	716
2000		195	821
1999		194	792
1998		166	876
1997		189	785
1996		165	848
1995		183	794
1994		169	815
1993		184	777
1992		180	779
1991		181	759
1990		212	700
1989		214	683
1988		239	613
1987		233	593
1986		220	601
1985		249	559
1984		260	533
1983		300	487
1982		297	493
1981		350	441
1980		460	371
1979		531	340
1978		429	373
1977		383	399
1976		386	394
1975		456	362
1974		496	345
1973		401	386
1972		356	420
1971		325	450
1970		248	511
1969		193	564
1968		135	653
1967		105	724
1966		102	732
1965		105	729
1964		95	774
1963		114	732
1962		103	756
1961		132	675
1960		129	692
1959		127	678
1958		69	909
1957		51	1,066
1956		55	1,015
1955		50	1,071
1954		51	1,050
1953		57	950
1952		55	966
1951		41	1,128
1950		40	1,134
1949		46	1,038
1948		45	1,056
1947		40	1,157
1946		43	1,050
1945		34	1,135
1944		35	1,126
1943		25	1,418
1942		31	1,263
1941		31	1,201
1940		31	1,220
1939		32	1,154
1938		33	1,138
1937		38	1,046
1936		44	932
1935		34	1,133
1934		39	1,051
1933		30	1,215
1932		40	1,068
1931		30	1,267
1930		28	1,378
1929		36	1,167
1928		44	1,050
1927		41	1,121
1926		46	1,026
1925		45	1,034
1924		47	1,039
1923		49	1,003
1922		50	1,007
1921		36	1,213
1920		45	1,043
1919		41	1,069
1918		49	955
1917		42	1,009
1916		55	848
1915		40	1,006
1914		39	874
1913		37	784
1912		39	685
1911		30	554
1910		23	610
1909		21	584
1908		26	495
1907		19	574
1906		13	694
1905		17	580
1904		18	527
1903		21	458
1902		17	529
1901		18	460
1900		25	461
1899		17	467
1898		22	424
1897		21	418
1896		23	412
1895		27	364
1894		18	473
1893		16	471
1892		22	408
1891		19	404
1890		24	364
1889		22	385
1888		24	381
1887		15	443
1886		29	317
1885		23	371
1884		27	341
1883		27	321
1882		14	504
1881		22	356
1880		31	300

United States name popularity data is provided by the Social Security Administration and is based on Social Security card applications.

Data for a given year is not made available until well into the next year.

Data reflects what was recorded and has not been edited for errors, so for example the gender associated with a name may be incorrect.

The more babies that are given a particular name, the higher the popularity ranking. If multiple names have the same usage, the tie is broken by assigning popularity rank in alphabetical order. Therefore in the case of names with fewer occurrences, names with the same number of occurrences may have vastly different rankings because they will be interranked alphabetically.

To safeguard privacy, the SSA does not include names with less than 5 occurrences.

Please note, we update the data each May when the SSA releases new figures. All data changes at that time, including previous years, which will change minutely based on new information.