Abel
Hebrew
“breath”
Mostly boys · Hebrew
“the Lord is my salvation”
Say it JAH-shoo-uhPronunciation may vary by region.
A little maybe, saved for later.
The story behind the name
Joshua comes from the Hebrew Yehoshu’a, combining a reference to God with a root meaning ‘to save.’ In the Old Testament, Joshua succeeds Moses and leads the Israelites into the Promised Land.
A little perspective
Recorded US births over time
| Year | Category | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 66 | 4,773 |
| 2024 | Boys | 57 | 5,268 |
| 2024 | Girls | 11,590 | 8 |
| 2023 | Boys | 60 | 5,070 |
| 2023 | Girls | 14,219 | 6 |
| 2022 | Boys | 60 | 5,197 |
| 2022 | Girls | 14,381 | 6 |
| 2021 | Boys | 58 | 5,531 |
| 2020 | Boys | 53 | 6,015 |
| 2020 | Girls | 10,660 | 9 |
| 2019 | Boys | 48 | 6,631 |
| 2019 | Girls | 10,082 | 10 |
| 2018 | Boys | 40 | 7,446 |
| 2017 | Boys | 38 | 8,353 |
| 2017 | Girls | 9,033 | 12 |
| 2016 | Boys | 35 | 9,258 |
| 2016 | Girls | 6,768 | 18 |
| 2015 | Boys | 33 | 9,850 |
| 2015 | Girls | 6,847 | 18 |
| 2014 | Boys | 25 | 10,929 |
| 2014 | Girls | 7,466 | 16 |
Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.
No nicknames are listed yet. The name can stand beautifully on its own.
We haven’t added verified variations for this spelling yet.
Keep the possibilities coming
More names with a similar feeling or shared roots.
Hebrew
“breath”
Hebrew
“my father is joyful”
Hebrew
“father of multitudes”
Hebrew
“son of the red earth”
Variation of Hannah, Hebrew
“grace”
Italian and Hebrew
“air; song or melody; lion”