Boys' name · since 1994

Josia

Josia has 144 recorded births since 1994 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2008 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

144
total births
1994–2023
years on record
2000s
peak decade
51%
born in that decade

Josia is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 144 have been recorded since 1994.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Josia has been recorded 144 times among boys since 1994, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1994 to 2023.

  • 144 total births
  • 1994–2023 years on record
  • 2000s peak decade
  • 51% born in that decade

Data updated Jul 2026

The verdict

144 boys have been named Josia since 1994, peaking in the 2000s, last recorded in 2023.

144
total births
1994–2023
years on record
2000s
peak decade
51%
born in that decade
2000s
Peak decade

51% of everyone ever named Josia was born in this single decade.

2008
Single peak year

13 babies were named Josia in 2008 - its busiest year on record.

Josia's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Josia splits its recorded history at 2008: 53% of all births land in the more recent half, 47% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1994 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2008 peak of 13 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Josia at a glance

Last recorded 2023

Total births

144

Since 1994

30 years of records

Peak year

2008

13 births that year

Strongest decade: 2000s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 2023

Active since

1994

Recorded for 30 years

Last year on file: 2023

Josia popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1994–2023

Last recorded 2023
Peak year (2008)
13
Annual births at peak, across 30 years of records
468101214 19942000200320072010201520192023 5

Josia popularity over time - girls

5 total births recorded since 2001 (Josia as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 5 births
5 2001 5

Josia by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

2000s was Josia's strongest decade.

73 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 51% of all-time use.

Josia births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 2000s at 73 births (51% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of July 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Josia? ▼
Since 1994, Social Security records show 144 babies named Josia. The most recent recorded year was 2023. Its busiest year on record was 2008, with 13 births.
When was Josia most popular? ▼
Josia was most popular in the 2000s decade with 73 total births. The single peak year was 2008.
How long has the name Josia been used? ▼
Josia has been recorded in Social Security data since 1994, spanning 30 years of data through 2023.
What names are similar to Josia? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Joseph, Joshua, Jose, Josiah, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Josia's data

  • Josia's decade-level peak was the 2000s (73 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Josia

Nearby Names Like Josia

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Josia

Joseph Boy
#32 2,669,490 births
Joshua Boy
#57 1,248,929 births
Jose Boy
#91 592,512 births
Josiah Boy
#53 148,958 births
Josue Boy
#294 57,689 births

Compare Josia side by side: Josia vs Joseph Josia vs Joshua Josia vs Jose

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Ell
144 births · Peak 1920
Zigmond
144 births · Peak 1919
Zannie
144 births · Peak 1940
Winfrey
144 births · Peak 1932
Parvin
144 births · Peak 1918
Joeph
144 births · Peak 1986
Nial #7303
144 births · Peak 2024
Willi
144 births · Peak 1958

Data Sources

Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.

Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1994–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Josia: Baby Name Since 1994 - 144 Births, Peak 2008." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/josia. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Josia draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.