Arthur vs Joshua
Arthur 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #5 and Joshua #53 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Arthur was ranked #11 and Joshua #67 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Joshua #63 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #18 and Joshua #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Joshua #60 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Joshua #81 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #83 and Joshua #405 among boys in Norway.
Arthur and Joshua over time
Arthur and Joshua appear together in 6 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. Joshua held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Arthur in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Joshua reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Arthur 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 2018, Arthur moved ahead of Joshua in England and Wales · Boys — #19 and #15 the year before became #7 and #17.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Arthur and Joshua changed places 14 times in Norway · Boys between 1980 and 2025, ending at #83 and #405.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Joshua were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #5 and #53.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1974–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Joshua in 33.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Joshua #17 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Joshua #81.
Norway · Boys43 shared years, 1980–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Joshua in 10.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #74 in 2020, Joshua #255 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #83, Joshua #405.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Joshua in 22.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Joshua #2 in 2002.
The order changed in 2018: Arthur moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #19 and #15; by 2018 that had become #7 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #5, Joshua #53.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Joshua in 15.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Joshua #6 in 2008.
The order changed in 2020: Arthur moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #19 and #18; by 2020 that had become #21 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Joshua #63.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Arthur held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Joshua in 6.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #11 in 2023, Joshua #20 in 2017.
The order changed in 2020: Arthur moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #35 and #34; by 2020 that had become #31 and #37.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Arthur #11, Joshua #67.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys8 shared years, 2017–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Joshua in 3.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #18 in 2024, Joshua #26 in 2017.
The order changed in 2020: Arthur moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #51 and #34; by 2020 that had become #44 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #18, Joshua #76.
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 | Arthur | Joshua |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | 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 | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Art, Artie | 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 | England and Wales · Boys #5 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #53 (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 | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin, while Joshua is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Arthur and Joshua both have 2 syllables.
- Arthur'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.
- The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Joshua a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Arthur
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #153 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #5 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #53 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys