The name Joshua means ‘God is deliverance’ and has Hebrew origins. It was originally ‘Yehoshua’ which has the same meaning but this slowly changed to Joshua as the name was translated through multiple languages.
There is also some other biblical meaning to this name as Joshua was the leader of the Israelites who led the Hebrews to the promised land.
- Joshua Name Origin: Hebrew
- Joshua Name Meaning: God is deliverance
- Pronunciation: jo-shyoo-uh
- Gender: Joshua is most often used as a boy’s name
How Popular is the Name Joshua?
You’re probably not surprised to hear that the name Joshua is very popular in America and across the world. It’s been on America’s top 100 boys’ name list since the 70s and even managed to reach the top 10 and stay there for 30 years! People clearly really love this name.
It also made its way to the top 5 boys’ names in America for 25 years and has continued to stay popular since.
The name currently stands at position 54 on this list, I wonder whether we’ll see it rise or fall in the next few years.
Variations of the name Joshua
Maybe you’ve come across the name Joshua but don’t know if you’re 100% sure about it. Well here are some other names worth considering.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Josua | Jehovah is salvation | Hebrew |
| Yehoshua | God is deliverance | Hebrew |
| Joaquin | Established by God | Portuguese |
| Jacob | Supplanter | Hebrew |
| Matthew | Gift of God | Hebrew |
| Daniel | God is my judge | Hebrew |
| David | Beloved | Hebrew |
Other Brilliant Hebrew Boys Names
So you definitely want a Hebrew name for your little boy but Joshua is just not hitting the right button. Maybe one of these fantastic names will be the right choice.
| Name | Meaning |
| Gabriel | God is my strength |
| Ezekiel | To strengthen |
| Amos | Born to God |
| Malachi | My messenger |
| Noah | Rest |
| Levi | Attached to me |
Alternative boys names starting with J
So maybe you’re set on the letter J but not in the name Joshua, how about some of these other names instead?
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| James | Supplanter | Latin |
| Jack | God is gracious | English |
| John | God is gracious | Hebrew |
| Joel | The lord is God | Hebrew |
| Jackson | Son of Jack | Old English |
| Jake | Supplanter | Hebrew |
| Jason | Healer | Greek |
Famous People Named Joshua
With the name Joshua being so popular, there’s no surprise that there are a good few famous people that share the name, let’s take a look at some of the famous Joshuas and see if you see any familiar names.
- Joshua Jackson – American Canadian actor
- Joshua Bell – American violinist
- Josh Peck – American actor
- Josh Gad – American actor
- Joshua Dallas – American actor
- Josh Beckett – Former major league baseball pitcher