Namewise

Andrew vs Joshua

Andrew and Joshuacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2013, Andrew was ranked #75 and Joshua #17 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2016, Andrew was ranked #89 and Joshua #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Andrew was ranked #334 and Joshua #53 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Andrew was ranked #104 and Joshua #60 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Andrew was ranked #216 and Joshua #63 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Andrew was ranked #106 and Joshua #81 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2021, Andrew was ranked #458 and Joshua #323 among boys in Norway.

Andrew and Joshua over time

Andrew and Joshua appear together in 6 published lists, across 216 years of shared records. Joshua held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Andrew in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Andrew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Joshua in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1989, Joshua moved ahead of Andrew in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #7 and #8 the year before became #8 and #4.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 44 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Andrew and Joshua averaged 31.7 places apart, ending at #89 and #19.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Andrew and Joshua were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #334 and #53.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1974–2025

    Andrew held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Joshua in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #16 in 1992, Joshua #17 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2001: Joshua moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #31 and #34; by 2001 that had become #37 and #28.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #106, Joshua #81.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys44 shared years, 1971–2016

    Andrew held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Joshua in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #4 in 1971, Joshua #1 in 1993.

    The order changed in 1989: Joshua moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #7 and #8; by 1989 that had become #8 and #4.

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Andrew #89, Joshua #19.

  • New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1974–2013

    Andrew held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Joshua in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #2 in 1975, Joshua #1 in 1995.

    The order changed in 1988: Joshua moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #6 and #8; by 1988 that had become #6 and #5.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Andrew #75, Joshua #17.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Andrew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joshua in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #29 in 1996, Joshua #2 in 2002.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #334, Joshua #53.

  • Norway · Boys29 shared years, 1973–2021

    Andrew held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Joshua in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #241 in 1983, Joshua #255 in 2007.

    The order changed in 1993: Joshua moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #318 and #339; by 1993 that had become #496 and #464.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Andrew #458, Joshua #323.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Andrew held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Joshua in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #5 in 1997, Joshua #6 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2000: Joshua moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #14 and #18; by 2000 that had become #16 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #216, Joshua #63.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Andrew

Pairs where Andrew shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Joshua

Pairs where Joshua shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Andrew, Joshua
FieldAndrewJoshua
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningThe English form of Greek Andreas, from 'andreios' ('manly, masculine'), itself from 'aner' ('man'). The apostle Andrew was the first disciple to join Jesus and is patron saint of Scotland.From Hebrew Yehoshua, combining 'yeho' (referring to God) with 'yasha' ('to save') — 'Yahweh is salvation'. Joshua succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelites in the Old Testament.
OriginGreek, biblicalBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈæn.dɹuː//ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #106 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #53 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Andrew is recorded with a Greek, biblical origin, while Joshua is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Andrew and Joshua both have 2 syllables.
  • Andrew's recorded meaning differs from Joshua's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Andrew

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–2013

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–2013).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #334 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Joshua

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #77 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1971–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1993 (recorded 1971–2024).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #53 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys