UK boy's name
Hosea
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "He saves" or "Salvation".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Hosea is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Hosea popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2263, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 11 births.
This profile covers 93 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 2004 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 91% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 92 living people in the UK are called Hosea. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Hosea ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 11 boys were registered as Hosea.
- • About 92 living people in the UK are estimated to have Hosea as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2263
2024
Births in 2024
10
Latest year
Peak year
2016
11 births
Estimated living
92
2026
Meaning
What does Hosea mean?
The name Hosea has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture. It is derived from the Hebrew word "hoshea" which means "salvation" or "deliverance." The name Hosea can be traced back to the 8th century BCE when it was borne by the Hebrew prophet Hosea, who was one of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible.
The Book of Hosea, one of the books of the Hebrew Bible, is attributed to the prophet Hosea. This book contains the prophecies and teachings of Hosea, who lived during the reign of Jeroboam II, the King of Israel, in the 8th century BCE. The book is known for its symbolic portrayal of the relationship between God and the people of Israel, represented through the metaphor of a marriage.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Hosea is found in the Hebrew Bible, where the prophet Hosea is mentioned. Apart from the prophet himself, there are a few other biblical figures who bore the name Hosea. One such figure was the son of Beeri, who lived during the reign of Jeroboam II.
Throughout history, the name Hosea has been borne by several notable individuals. One such person was Hosea Stout (1810-1889), an American pioneer and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who played a significant role in the settlement of Utah.
Another notable bearer of the name was Hosea Ballou (1771-1852), an American Universalist minister and theologian, who was a prominent figure in the Universalist Church of America during the 19th century.
Hosea Williams (1926-2000) was an American civil rights leader and activist who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement. He played a crucial role in the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965.
Hosea Gear (born 1985) is a New Zealand rugby union player who has represented the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team, and has played in several international tournaments, including the Rugby World Cup.
Hosea Kiprotich (born 1989) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in marathon running. He has won several international marathons, including the Hamburg Marathon in 2015 and the Paris Marathon in 2017.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Hosea over time
The chart below shows babies named Hosea registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Hosea, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hosea by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Hosea was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2738 | 37 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3534 | 53 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3651 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Hosea
- Harry 141,693
- Henry 65,177
- Harrison 45,958
- Harvey 35,648
- Harley 22,095
- Hugo 18,779
- Hayden 12,622
- Hunter 10,350
- Hudson 9,104
- Hamza 8,564
- Hassan 5,982
- Hasan 3,599
FAQ
Hosea: questions and answers
How popular is the name Hosea in the UK right now?
In 2024, Hosea was ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.
When was Hosea most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 11 babies registered as Hosea in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Hosea?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "He saves" or "Salvation".
How many people are called Hosea in the UK?
A total of 93 babies have been registered as Hosea across the 16 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.