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Joshua: name meaning and numbers

In Pythagorean numerology Joshua adds up to 20, which reduces to 2, its Expression number. In the Chaldean system it adds up to 23, which reduces to 5.

Joshua went from 2,175 boys in the United States in 1970 to 43,237 in 1990, about twenty times as many in twenty years.

Where Joshua comes from and how it spread

Joshua is the Hebrew Yehoshua, usually explained as God is salvation. In the Hebrew Bible he leads the Israelites after Moses, and the walls of Jericho fall before him. The same Hebrew name also gives Yeshua, the form behind Jesus. New South Wales gave it to 1,296 boys in 1997, and England and Wales to 8,190 in 2003. Canada went from 2,736 boys in 1991 to 330 in 2025, and Puerto Rico from 440 in 1998 to 7. Its vowels, O, U and A, add up to 10 and reduce to 1.

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Lines join Joshua's letter values in order (1 6 1 8 3 1), gold at a vowel. Numerology gives the shape no meaning.

How Joshua adds up

Joshua has 6 letters. Their Pythagorean values add up to 20 and their Chaldean values to 23.

Pythagorean

Vowels are underlined. Consonants are plain. Each letter shows its value below.

    • J1Consonant
    • O6Vowel
    • S1Consonant
    • H8Consonant
    • U3Vowel
    • A1Vowel

    Subtotal 20

The first letter is J, worth 1.

Expression number

Also called the Destiny number

2

Sum 20, reduced to 2

Soul Urge number

Also called the Heart's Desire number

1

Sum 10, reduced to 1

Personality number

1

Sum 10, reduced to 1

Chaldean

    • J1Consonant
    • O7Vowel
    • S3Consonant
    • H5Consonant
    • U6Vowel
    • A1Vowel

    Subtotal 23

The first letter is J, worth 1.

Expression number

5

Sum 23, reduced to 5

Soul Urge number

5

Sum 14, reduced to 5

Personality number

9

Sum 9

Spellings and related forms

Each spelling and its Expression number in both systems
SpellingPythagoreanChaldean
Joshua25
Jesús119
Josh77
Yeshua73

Related forms come from Wikidata.

Where Joshua is used

  • United States Births, boys
  • Other counts, each against its peak
Births a year from 1880 to 2025, one line for each count that reached 100, drawn against its own peak. The highest count is 44,100: United States, 1989.
Counts by place and source, with the latest year, the rank and the peak year
WhereLatest yearCountRankPeak year in these data
United States Births, boys20254,773661989
United States Births, girls2025fewer than 51986
England and Wales Births, boys2025938532003
Scotland Births, boys202566752002
Northern Ireland Births, boys202539552002
Canada Births, boys2025330911991
Canada Births, girls2025fewer than 51991
New South Wales, Australia Births, boys2025not in that year's top 1001997
Victoria, Australia Births, boys202595782008
Ireland Births, boys202574812004
Puerto Rico Births, boys202572081998
Chile Births, boys2021572052004
Spain Residents, men20251,913833

A rank is the place among names of the same sex in that source and year.

Before 1990 the data keeps every fifth year and the peak year.

Counts: SSA, ONS, NRS, NISRA, StatCan, NSW BDM, BDM Victoria, CSO, Registro Civil, INE. Sources and licenses

What numerology reads in these numbers

  • Expression number

    2

    Numerologists link an Expression 2 with tact, close listening and a talent for finding the sentence two sides can both accept.

  • Soul Urge number

    1

    A Soul Urge of 1 is, in numerology, the wish to steer: to pick the road, set the pace and answer for the result.

  • Personality number

    1

    First impressions of a Personality 1, in numerology, are of someone already in charge: direct, sure-footed and a little hard to interrupt.

How each number is read

Try a full name in the AstroJane name numerology calculator

Numbers worked out by code from the calculator's letter tables, every sum shown; counts from national statistics offices and registries. Numerology has no scientific evidence.

How names are counted

Last reviewed: November 8, 2026