Josiah
MeaningGod supports · Hebrew
- US rank
- #54
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #45 in 2019
5,509 babies were named Josiah in the US in 2025. It has dropped 5 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Josiah you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Josiah
Josiah Willard Gibbs
American scientist (1839–1903)
Choose Josiah and your child shares a first name with Josiah Willard Gibbs, an American scientist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Josiah, like who?” Josiah Willard Gibbs's Wikipedia article is available in 75 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Josiah Willard Gibbs on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Unknown. Uploaded by Serge Lachinov (обработка для wiki), Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 310 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Josiah, 5,509 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Josiah.
- HistoryJosiah has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Josiahs, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 2019, when it reached #45.
- Then vs nowJosiah is 3.1× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 968 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 310.
- Where it's lovedJosiah is most popular in Georgia, where it ranks #16, followed by Louisiana (#18) and Nevada (#20). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Hebrew, Josiah means “God supports”.
About the name Josiah
Josiah is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “God supports”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with J and ending in “-iah”. US birth records list Josiah for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 2019, when it ranked #45 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #54, with 5,509 babies.
Origin:Hebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 176 | 5,666 boys |
| 1890s | 95 | 10,578 boys |
| 1900s | 57 | 17,431 boys |
| 1910s | 47 | 21,057 boys |
| 1920s | 25 | 39,635 boys |
| 1930s | 20 | 51,230 boys |
| 1940s | 11 | 90,009 boys |
| 1950s | 9.7 | 103,199 boys |
| 1960s | 9.1 | 110,254 boys |
| 1970s | 58 | 17,373 boys |
| 1980s | 237 | 4,212 boys |
| 1990s | 564 | 1,772 boys |
| 2000s | 1,660 | 603 boys |
| 2010s | 3,363 | 297 boys |
| 2020s | 3,338 | 300 boys |
More Hebrew boy names
- Unisex name: Noah · rest, comfort
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: Elijah · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Levi · joined, attached
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Josiah
What does the name Josiah mean?
Josiah means “God supports” in Hebrew.
What is the origin of the name Josiah?
Josiah has Hebrew roots in our records. Other Hebrew names include Noah, James, Elijah.
Is Josiah a boy or girl name?
Josiah is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Josiah?
Josiah ranked #54 for US boys in 2025, given to 5,509 babies. Its best year was 2019 (#45).