boy's name
Josiah
joh-SY-uh
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 158,432
the United States
#54
2025 births
Josiah is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh supports" or "Yahweh heals," from Yoshiyahu. He was a king of Judah who came to the throne as a child and carried out sweeping religious reforms after a lost book of the law was discovered in the temple.
- Josiah is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2017, when 7,092 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 600 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Josiah over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 193 |
| 1890s | 108 |
| 1900s | 77 |
| 1910s | 308 |
| 1920s | 278 |
| 1930s | 206 |
| 1940s | 164 |
| 1950s | 195 |
| 1960s | 173 |
| 1970s | 945 |
| 1980s | 4,433 |
| 1990s | 10,983 |
| 2000s | 33,411 |
| 2010s | 63,282 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 34,664 |
What Josiah means
Josiah means Yahweh supports, heals, or has healed, combining a Hebrew root with the divine name. Both readings are current, depending on which verbal root the first element is assigned to.
Where Josiah comes from
Josiah comes from the Hebrew Yoshiyahu, combining a root variously understood as to support or to heal with Yah, a shortened form of Yahweh. The biblical Josiah became king of Judah at eight years old and is presented in Kings and Chronicles as a reformer: during repairs to the temple a book of the law was found, and its reading prompted him to destroy rival shrines and centralize worship in Jerusalem. Most scholars connect that book to some form of Deuteronomy, making his reign a significant moment in the formation of the Hebrew Bible. The name entered English use after the Reformation and was carried to America by Puritan settlers.
How popular is Josiah?
In 2025, Josiah was given to 5,522 babies in the United States, ranking #54 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Josiah is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Josiah
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Josiah also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Josiah over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Josiah
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Josiah in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Josiah
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Josiah — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Josiah
What does the name Josiah mean?
Josiah means "Yahweh supports" or "Yahweh heals," from the Hebrew Yoshiyahu.
Who was Josiah in the Bible?
A king of Judah who took the throne as a child and carried out major religious reforms after a book of the law was found in the temple.
Is Josiah a Puritan name?
It entered English use after the Reformation and was widely used by Puritan settlers in America.
How popular is the name Josiah?
In 2025, Josiah was given to 5,522 babies in the United States, ranking #54 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Josiah a girl's or a boy's name?
Josiah is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Josiah?
Josiah has 3 syllables.
When was Josiah most popular?
Josiah peaked in 2017, when 7,092 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Josiah?
Josiah is usually shortened to Joss, Si and Siah.
Is Josiah a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Josiah currently ranks #54 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.