Josias
Josias was the 950th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 247 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 286 places. More babies were named Josias in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning healed or supported by God · Hebrew
Say it hoh-SEE-us /hoʊˈsiəs/
- Rank in 2025
- #950 boys, up 81 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 247boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025247 babies
- Total since 1880
- 3,517babies recorded
What does the name Josias mean?
Josias is the Greek and Latin form of Josiah, the name of a king of Judah known for his religious reforms. The Hebrew Yoshiyyahu is usually explained as 'Yahweh heals' or 'Yahweh supports'; DMNES glosses it 'healed, support by Yahweh'. Josias is the form used in the Greek New Testament genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:10, as in the King James Version), and DMNES records it in English and Dutch use from the 16th century. It is the usual form in Spanish and Portuguese.
יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ (Biblical Hebrew, “Yahweh heals / supports”)
How sure is this? Probable. The second element is the divine name; the verb's exact sense is debated.
Pronunciation: Spanish: ho-SEE-ahs, with the J as an English h.
Related names: Josiah, Josías.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Josias', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Josias' (Portuguese section), Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources (ed. S. L. Uckelman), Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Josiah', DMNES, Durham University
- New Testament, Matthew 1:10, King James Version (via Bible Gateway), Bible Gateway (KJV, public domain)
Josias popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #950 | 247 |
| 2020 | #1,031 | 199 |
| 2010 | #1,631 | 96 |
| 2000 | #2,504 | 38 |
| 1990 | #4,080 | 14 |
| 1980 | #5,215 | 7 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Josias, counting every spelling?
Josias is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #915 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #950 for Josias on its own. Together these spellings went to 247 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josias | 247 | #950 | 1,031 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Josias?
247 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Josias (0.07 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Josias born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 34 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Josias.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Josias?
About 3,500 people born in the US named Josias are alive today, with a median age of 10; half are between 5 and 18. That makes Josias a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Josias by state
How common Josias was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Maryland (2.2×), Texas (1.7×), North Carolina (1.6×). In 26 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Josias: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Josias, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Josias · Sibling names for Josias
Questions about the name Josias
What does Josias mean?
Josias means “healed or supported by God” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Josias?
Josias was the 950th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 247 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 286 places. More babies were named Josias in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Josias a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Josias in the US.
Where is Josias most popular?
In 2021–2025, Josias was most common in Maryland (0.26 per 1,000 boys), followed by Texas and North Carolina.