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 2024, Andrew was ranked #315 and Joshua #50 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 215 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 New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 44 years, from 1971 to 2016, ending at #89 and #19.
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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joshua in 29.
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, 2024: Andrew #315, Joshua #50.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Andrew | Joshua |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The 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. |
| Origin | Greek, biblical | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.dɹuː/ | /ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #106 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #81 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
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
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
Highest recorded1954–2013
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #106 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Joshua
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1971–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1993 (recorded 1971–2024).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #405 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys