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How Many People Are Named Josh?
Estimated people named Josh living in the U.S. today
14,362
Gender distribution
100% male · 0% female in SSA records.
Name scorecard
- Total U.S. births recorded (1880–2024): 17,193
- Peak year: 1979 (531 births)
- Estimated living today: 14,362
Josh by age group — who carries the name today?
Josh popularity over time (1880–2024)
Estimated living bearers by birth decade
About the name Josh
Josh has been recorded by the Social Security Administration since the 19th century dataset began. In total, 17,193 babies were given the name in the United States between 1880 and 2024. After adjusting each birth cohort for survival to today, an estimated 14,362 bearers are still living — roughly 1 in 23,799 Americans. The name's strongest decade shapes how old most Joshs you meet will be, which the age-group breakdown above shows directly. All figures are statistical estimates from public records; see our methodology for sources, the survival model, and the limits of the data (names given to fewer than five babies in a year are not published by the SSA).
Frequently asked questions
How many people are named Josh in the US?
An estimated 14,362 people named Josh are living in the United States today, based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024 adjusted for survival. That makes Josh rare — about 1 in 23,799 Americans.
Is Josh a boy or girl name?
In SSA records, Josh is 100% male and 0% female, so it is predominantly a male name.
When was Josh most popular?
Josh peaked in 1979, when 531 babies were given the name. Its current trend is declining compared with the previous decade.
How rare is the name Josh?
Josh ranks #1,924 of 104,819 first names recorded by the SSA, with a rarity score of 51 out of 100 (higher means rarer).