UK girl's name
Josia
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "God heals" or "God supports".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2007. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Josia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Josia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2007 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5201, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2007 to 2007. 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.
Josia is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Josia. 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 2008 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Josia ranked #5201 for girls in England and Wales in 2007, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 3 girls were registered as Josia.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Josia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5201
2007
Births in 2007
3
Latest year
Peak year
2007
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Josia mean?
The given name Josia has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is a variation of the Hebrew name Yoshiyahu, which means "Yahweh is salvation" or "Yahweh will support." The name is derived from the Hebrew words "Yah," a shortened form of the divine name Yahweh, and "yoshia," meaning "to save" or "to help."
The name Josia appears in the Old Testament of the Bible, where it is the name of one of the kings of Judah. King Josiah reigned from around 639 to 609 BCE and is known for his efforts to reform the religious practices of the kingdom, including the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem and the abolition of pagan worship practices.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Josia can be found in the biblical accounts of King Josiah. However, the name has been used throughout history, particularly in Christian and Jewish communities, as a tribute to the biblical figure.
Among the notable historical figures who bore the name Josia is Josias Anselme (1734-1833), a French lawyer and politician who served as a deputy in the Estates-General during the French Revolution. Another prominent figure was Josias Simler (1530-1576), a Swiss scholar and theologian known for his work on the history and geography of Switzerland.
In the realm of literature, Josia Burchett (1666-1746) was an English writer and translator who served as Secretary to the Admiralty during the reign of Queen Anne. Josias Lyndon Arnold (1768-1828) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 24th Governor of Rhode Island from 1824 to 1825.
Another notable individual with the name Josia was Josias Weitbrecht (1717-1747), a German Protestant missionary who worked in India and helped establish the Protestant mission in Bengal. Josia Weitbrecht's efforts contributed to the spread of Christianity in the region during the 18th century.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Josia by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Josia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #5201 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Josia
- Jessica 105,041
- Jasmine 35,227
- Jade 19,646
- Julia 11,780
- Jennifer 11,529
- Jodie 9,357
- Jemima 6,454
- Josephine 5,889
- Jessie 5,418
- Josie 5,284
- Jasmin 4,706
- Jenna 4,646
FAQ
Josia: questions and answers
How popular is the name Josia in the UK right now?
In 2007, Josia was ranked #5201 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Josia most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 3 babies registered as Josia in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Josia?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "God heals" or "God supports".
How many people are called Josia in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Josia across the 1 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.