Rising since 1985, #54 for boys today.
Popularity of Josiah since 1880
Babies named Josiah per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 193 |
| 1890s | 108 |
| 1900s | 77 |
| 1910s | 308 |
| 1920s | 278 |
| 1930s | 206 |
| 1940s | 164 |
| 1950s | 195 |
| 1960s | 173 |
| 1970s | 945 |
| 1980s | 4,406 |
| 1990s | 10,916 |
| 2000s | 33,258 |
| 2010s | 63,132 |
| 2020s | 34,599 |
Meaning & origin
Josiah rode two separate revivals to its current standing: the Puritans rescued it from the Old Testament in the seventeenth century, and American parents rediscovered it again at the end of the twentieth. Present in the data every year since 1880, it began climbing in 1985 as part of the broad Old Testament wave that also lifted Isaiah, Elijah, and Micah, and it peaked in 2017. In 2025 it ranked 54th, reaching roughly one in every 310 newborn boys.
Its strongest states: Delaware, Rhode Island, and Nevada, are scattered across the map, which fits a name whose appeal crosses regional and denominational lines. Josiah reads as biblical without being ubiquitous the way Jacob or Noah became, and the friendly short forms Jo and Siah give it range from playground to boardroom.
Josiah is the English form of the Hebrew Yoshiyahu. The second element is clearly the divine name Yahweh; the first is debated, with scholars variously glossing it as 'support,' 'give,' or 'heal,' so the traditional renderings 'Yahweh supports' and 'Yahweh heals' are both offered with a hedge. The name belongs to one of the most admired kings of Judah, the reformer Josiah of 2 Kings (reigned c. 640–609 BCE). Like many Old Testament royal names it was revived by the Puritans in the seventeenth century, Josiah Wedgwood the potter and Josiah Quincy the Boston statesman carried it through the Georgian era, and it has appeared in American records continuously since 1880, with its modern climb under way since 1985.
Read more: Josiah on Wikipedia
Where Josiah is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Josiah” around the world
Where Josiah lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Ireland
5
babies in 2025
New Zealand
35
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jo, Joe, Siah
Famous people named Josiah
- Josiah · reforming king of Judah in the Hebrew Bible
- Josiah Wedgwood · English potter and founder of the Wedgwood company
Sibling names for Josiah
Names that share Josiah's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Naomi, Abigail, Selah, Eliana, Talia, Bethany, Beulah, Genesis, Mariah, Anaiah, Azariah, Damaris, Jemima, Jerusha, Lizbeth, Moriah, Promise, Stephany, Aaniyah, Amariah, Azariyah, Devorah, Eliyah, Jariah, Keturah, Mahala, Mahalia, Makiah, Nazareth, Neriah, Nyomi, Shekinah, Sinai, Tabetha, Trinitee, Zipporah, Athaliah, Azaliah, Azaryah, Bethlehem, Genessis, Jemimah, Kaziah, Marriah, Meliah, Michaiah, Mikiah, Nathania, Permelia, Saloma, Seraiah, Shaddai, Shamiah, Soriah, Tabbatha, Taniah, Zarriah, Zurisadai, Adaliah, Ameriah, Annaliah, Bathsheba, Bethsaida, Danijah, Dariah, Emiah, Hananiah, Janeliz, Jermia, Joniyah, Katiria, Kelaiah, Keziyah, Lydiah, Mahalie, Makalia, Maniah, Maziah, Mykiah, Naleah, Naomia, Nehemie, Noriah, Peniel, Samariah, Samuella, Seriah, Shemaiah, Tanairi, Trinitie, Abigial, Adiah, Daneli, Hadessah, Keliah, Mekiah, Shekina, Toshua, Abiah, Amilyah, Ananiah, Cariah, Charidy, Davinity, Desyre, Deziah, Dianely, Elaisha, Genesi, Janelli, Jarelis, Jemina, Jerriah, Jhoanna, Jobina, Joelee, Johnasia, Joleah, Jonay, Joniah, Josabet, Josabeth, Judaea, Jynesis, Ketzia, Krissia, Lazariah, Marijah, Mauriah, Michiah, Mikaiah, Nesiah, Raelani, Reniah, Robecca, Shaliah, Shemiah, Tabbetha, Titianna, Zacaria
Brothers: Isaiah, Micah, Ezra, Elias, Silas, Elijah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Braxton, Jonah, Malachi, Messiah, Nathaniel, Nehemiah, Abram, Alijah, Cannon, Eleazar, Hezekiah, Hiram, Immanuel, Isael, Isai, Isaias, Isiah, Izaiah, Jarius, Jasiah, Jedidiah, Jericho, Jireh, Lemuel, Simeon, Uriah, Zachariah, Zechariah, Abiel, Ammon, Asaiah, Azaiah, Efrem, Eliah, Eliazar, Eligah, Ezekial, Ezrah, Hosie, Isaih, Issiah, Iziah, Jahleel, Jariel, Jasiel, Jedediah, Jeramiah, Jeremias, Jeriah, Jerimiah, Jermiah, Jeshua, Jesiah, Jessiah, Lige, Malakhi, Masiah, Massiah, Micaiah, Obadiah, Obed, Ozias, Sammuel, Urijah, Zacharia, Zacharias, Zackariah, Abisai, Amaziah, Asiel, Azarias, Benuel, Elijha, Elnathan, Emmanual, Ephram, Ephriam, Esiah, Geremiah, Ilijah, Isaah, Isayah, Issaiah, Izack, Jahdiel, Jahsiah, Jassiel, Jebediah, Jedadiah, Jehu, Jeremia, Jeremih, Jeziah, Jezreel, Jhonathan, Joesiah, Jomari, Jonael, Jonel, Joniel, Josaiah, Joshawa, Josiel, Josiyah, Jusiah, Leviathan, Malichi, Manasseh, Meshach, Mesiah, Miciah, Neftaly, Uzziah, Zacheriah, Zakariah, Zebadiah, Zebediah, Zebulun, Zedekiah, Zekiel, Adonay, Adonias, Calab, Delijah, Eliakim, Elihue, Elishah, Ephrem, Esaias, Esias, Ezechiel, Ezeriah, Imanuel, Ishmail, Isiaha, Isiaih, Izaiha, Izaya, Izayiah, Izeah, Izekiel, Jaaziah, Jahaziel, Jahziah, Japhet, Jasaiah, Jaysiah, Jedaiah, Jeremaih, Jeremiyah, Jeremyah, Jerimyah, Jocsan, Joshaua, Joshuan, Jossiah, Jushua, Kaleab, Kingdavid, Lijah, Maciah, Mekai, Nathanyel, Nemiah, Nessiah, Obediah, Osiah, Osias, Shadrach, Tiras, Urias, Uziah, Yaphet, Zacariah, Ezekeil, Isaiahs, Jathniel, Jebadiah, Jerimah, Nisaiah, Addiel, Azekiel, Azuriah, Eliahs, Eliazer, Elizar, Elroi, Esaiah, Essiah, Ezaiah, Ezekiah, Ezikiel, Isahia, Isaid, Isaiha, Isaiyah, Issaih, Izaih, Izaiyah, Jahshua, Jasyah, Jayziah, Jemuel, Jeramia, Jeramyah, Jeshurun, Joeziah, Johathon, Jojuan, Josehua, Joshiah, Josian, Jossiel, Joziel, Malacai, Messiyah, Meziah, Mizraim, Nathanyal, Nehemyah, Sadrac, Sosaia, Yahweh, Yasiah, Yosohn, Zacharius, Zecharia
Names like Josiah
Names whose popularity has moved with Josiah's over the last 50 years.
