Joab
Boy name · #2316 in 2025 · Uniqueness 43/100
Joab is currently the #2316 boy name in the United States — 60 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3365, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,000 boys born in 2025 was named Joab.
Babies named Joab per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 60-year story
Joab first appears in the Social Security records in 1965, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 60 babies and a rank of #2304. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Joab against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Joab in class?
Joab scores 43 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Joab is most common
Geography matters for names, and Joab is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Joabs were FL (7), TN (6), TX (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Joab
Statistically, parents drawn to Joab tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Musab, Eliab, Joah, Jawad, and Jin.
MusabEliabJoahJawadJinJhonAyoubJoao
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Joab | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2304 |
| 2024 | 45 | #2835 |
| 2023 | 40 | #3055 |
| 2022 | 41 | #3003 |
| 2021 | 42 | #2918 |
| 2020 | 25 | #4020 |
| 2019 | 31 | #3571 |
| 2018 | 32 | #3446 |
| 2017 | 29 | #3678 |
| 2016 | 30 | #3596 |
| 2015 | 33 | #3365 |
| 2014 | 23 | #4263 |
| 2013 | 35 | #3122 |
| 2012 | 17 | #5256 |
| 2011 | 21 | #4509 |
| 2010 | 16 | #5478 |
| 2009 | 21 | #4582 |
| 2008 | 24 | #4145 |
| 2007 | 31 | #3444 |
| 2006 | 20 | #4520 |
| 2005 | 17 | #4824 |
| 2004 | 20 | #4264 |
| 2003 | 16 | #4815 |
| 2002 | 22 | #3794 |
| 2001 | 16 | #4676 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Joab a popular boy name?
Joab ranked #2316 among boys in 2025 with 60 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3365.
When was the name Joab most popular?
Joab peaked in 2025, when 60 American boys received the name (ranked #2304 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Joab?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,000 newborn American boys was named Joab. It scores 43/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.