Caleb vs Joshua

Caleb 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.

Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #26 and Joshua #63 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #42 and Joshua #60 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Caleb was ranked #45 and Joshua #67 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #75 and Joshua #50 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #97 and Joshua #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Caleb was ranked #108 and Joshua #81 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Caleb and Joshua over time

Caleb and Joshua appear together in 5 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. Joshua held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Caleb in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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 5 of those lists, and Caleb 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 2022, Caleb moved ahead of Joshua in New Zealand · Boys — #52 and #47 the year before became #64 and #68.
Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Caleb and Joshua averaged 57.8 places apart, ending at #97 and #76.
Longest-running competitions
Caleb and Joshua were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 42 years, from 1982 to 2023, ending at #45 and #67.

List by list

New Zealand · Boys42 shared years, 1982–2023
Caleb held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Joshua in 40.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #12 in 1999, Joshua #1 in 1995.
The order changed in 2022: Caleb moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #52 and #47; by 2022 that had become #64 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Caleb #45, Joshua #67.
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1983–2025
Caleb held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Joshua in 33.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #91 in 2024, Joshua #17 in 2003.
The order changed in 1990: Joshua moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #282 and #330; by 1990 that had become #323 and #144.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caleb #108, Joshua #81.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joshua in 29.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #72 in 2023, Joshua #2 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #75, Joshua #50.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Joshua in 22.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #20 in 2023, Joshua #6 in 2002.
The order changed in 2020: Caleb moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #36 and #18; by 2020 that had become #30 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #26, Joshua #63.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joshua in 25.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #51 in 2001, Joshua #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #97, 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.

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 Caleb

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

Oliver vs Caleb
Oliver and Caleb both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Oliver · Caleb · 42 shared years, 1983–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Alfie vs Caleb
Alfie and Caleb both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Alfie · Caleb · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Archie vs Caleb
Archie and Caleb both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Archie · Caleb · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Arthur vs Caleb
Arthur and Caleb both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Arthur · Caleb · 34 shared years, 1983–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Other comparisons involving Joshua

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

Joshua vs Samuel
Joshua and Samuel changed places 16 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1974 and 2023, ending at #67 and #50.
Joshua · Samuel · 50 shared years, 1974–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2023 New Zealand ranking
Joshua vs Jake
Joshua and Jake changed places 13 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1983 and 2025, ending at #81 and #95.
Joshua · Jake · 41 shared years, 1983–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
Joshua vs Conor
Joshua and Conor changed places 12 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #63 and #51.
Joshua · Conor · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking
Joshua vs Blake
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Joshua #1 in 1993, Blake #21 in 1995.
Joshua · Blake · 35 shared years, 1982–2016 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1995 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Caleb, Joshua
Field	Caleb	Joshua
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	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	Not yet recorded	Biblical Hebrew
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/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, NZ	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #108 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #81 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Joshua has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Caleb does not have one recorded yet.
Caleb and Joshua both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Joshua; Caleb doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Caleb

Popularity journey

First recorded1982
First recorded at #98 among boys in New Zealand in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1982–2023
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1999 (recorded 1982–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #108 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