Christopher vs Joshua
Christopher 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 2012, Christopher was ranked #99 and Joshua #16 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2014, Christopher was ranked #94 and Joshua #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Christopher was ranked #203 and Joshua #53 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #127 and Joshua #60 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #239 and Joshua #63 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Christopher was ranked #121 and Joshua #81 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Christopher was ranked #311 and Joshua #405 among boys in Norway.
Christopher and Joshua over time
Christopher and Joshua appear together in 6 published lists, across 231 years of shared records. Joshua held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Christopher in 1.
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.
Christopher 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 1990, Joshua moved ahead of Christopher in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #3 and #4 the year before became #6 and #3.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Christopher and Joshua changed places 6 times in Norway · Boys between 1973 and 2025, ending at #311 and #405.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 44 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Christopher and Joshua averaged 33.2 places apart, ending at #94 and #17.
- Longest-running competitions
Christopher and Joshua were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #203 and #53.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1974–2025
Christopher held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Joshua in 26.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #13 in 1990, Joshua #17 in 2003.
The order changed in 2000: Joshua moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #40 and #44; by 2000 that had become #43 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christopher #121, Joshua #81.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys44 shared years, 1971–2014
Christopher held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Joshua in 25.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #2 in 1985, Joshua #1 in 1993.
The order changed in 1990: Joshua moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #3 and #4; by 1990 that had become #6 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Christopher #94, Joshua #17.
Norway · Boys44 shared years, 1973–2025
Christopher held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Joshua in 3.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #57 in 1989, Joshua #255 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christopher #311, Joshua #405.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1974–2012
Christopher held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Joshua in 24.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #4 in 1984, Joshua #1 in 1995.
The order changed in 1988: Joshua moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #5 and #8; by 1988 that had become #8 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Christopher #99, Joshua #16.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Christopher held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joshua in 30.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #25 in 1996, Joshua #2 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christopher #203, Joshua #53.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Christopher held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Joshua in 25.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #10 in 1998, Joshua #6 in 2002.
The order changed in 1999: Joshua moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #10 and #15; by 1999 that had become #18 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Christopher #239, 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 | Christopher | Joshua |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Late Greek Christophoros, combining 'Christos' (Christ) with 'phero' ('to bear') — 'bearing Christ'. Associated with the legend of Saint Christopher carrying the young Jesus across a river. | 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 Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹɪs.tə.fəɹ/ | /ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 #121 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #53 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 58/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Christopher is recorded with a Greek origin, while Joshua is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Christopher has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Joshua.
- Christopher'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
Christopher
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #306 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2014
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1952–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #203 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