Josiah
Boy name · #54 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Josiah? In official American birth records, Josiah has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Josiah ranks #54 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 5,509 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #57, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 327 boys born in 2025 was named Josiah.
Babies named Josiah per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Josiah first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 26 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 7,079 boys were named Josiah — good for #51 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Josiah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Josiah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Josiah is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Josiah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Josiah is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Josiah is most common in DE (8.5 per 1,000), RI (7 per 1,000), NV (6.4 per 1,000), MS (5.7 per 1,000), LA (5.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 3.8 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Josiah is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Josiah
Statistically, parents drawn to Josiah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, Micah, and Judah.
IsaiahJeremiahJonahMicahJudahMessiahJulianCarter
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Josiah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,509 | #54 |
| 2024 | 5,486 | #53 |
| 2023 | 5,445 | #52 |
| 2022 | 5,838 | #51 |
| 2021 | 6,157 | #49 |
| 2020 | 6,164 | #49 |
| 2019 | 6,847 | #45 |
| 2018 | 6,684 | #52 |
| 2017 | 7,079 | #51 |
| 2016 | 7,025 | #55 |
| 2015 | 6,677 | #57 |
| 2014 | 6,482 | #64 |
| 2013 | 6,316 | #69 |
| 2012 | 5,538 | #79 |
| 2011 | 5,274 | #80 |
| 2010 | 5,210 | #77 |
| 2009 | 5,020 | #86 |
| 2008 | 4,785 | #95 |
| 2007 | 4,225 | #105 |
| 2006 | 3,649 | #117 |
| 2005 | 3,260 | #125 |
| 2004 | 2,797 | #142 |
| 2003 | 2,684 | #152 |
| 2002 | 2,570 | #154 |
| 2001 | 2,239 | #169 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Josiah?
In official American birth records, the name Josiah first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 26 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Josiah a popular boy name?
Josiah ranked #54 among boys in 2025 with 5,509 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #57.
When was the name Josiah most popular?
Josiah peaked in 2017, when 7,079 American boys received the name (ranked #51 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Josiah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 327 newborn American boys was named Josiah. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.