Charlie vs Joshua
Charlie 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #8 and Joshua #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #8 and Joshua #63 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Charlie was ranked #9 and Joshua #67 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Charlie was ranked #13 and Joshua #81 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #19 and Joshua #60 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Charlie was ranked #22 and Joshua #53 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Charlie was ranked #211 and Joshua #405 among boys in Norway.
Charlie and Joshua over time
Charlie and Joshua appear together in 6 published lists, across 163 years of shared records. Charlie held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Joshua in 2.
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.
Joshua reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Charlie 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 2010, Charlie moved ahead of Joshua in England and Wales · Boys — #7 and #5 the year before became #5 and #8.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Charlie and Joshua averaged 15.9 places apart, ending at #22 and #53.
- Longest-running competitions
Charlie and Joshua were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #22 and #53.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1983–2025
Charlie held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Joshua in 15.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #5 in 2022, Joshua #17 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlie #13, Joshua #81.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Charlie held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Joshua in 14.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #4 in 2012, Joshua #2 in 2002.
The order changed in 2010: Charlie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #7 and #5; by 2010 that had become #5 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlie #22, Joshua #53.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charlie held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Joshua in 12.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #3 in 2013, Joshua #6 in 2002.
The order changed in 2009: Charlie moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #10 and #6; by 2009 that had become #7 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlie #8, Joshua #63.
Norway · Boys26 shared years, 1990–2025
Charlie held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Joshua in 12.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #189 in 2017, Joshua #255 in 2007.
The order changed in 2012: Charlie moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #402 and #329; by 2012 that had become #304 and #343.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlie #211, Joshua #405.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 2000–2024
Charlie held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Joshua in 17.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #8 in 2024, Joshua #1 in 2000.
The order changed in 2017: Charlie moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #25 and #19; by 2017 that had become #20 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlie #8, Joshua #76.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 2003–2023
Charlie held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Joshua in 11.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #6 in 2021, Joshua #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 2014: Charlie moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #22 and #17; by 2014 that had become #15 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Charlie #9, Joshua #67.
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 | Charlie | Joshua |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Charles, ultimately interpreted as 'man' or, by an alternative theory, 'army'. | 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 | English, via Germanic Karl | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈtʃɑːli/ | /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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #12 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #53 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Charlie is recorded with a English, via Germanic Karl origin, while Joshua is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Charlie and Joshua both have 2 syllables.
- Charlie'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
Charlie
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #282 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2013 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #747 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
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