Namewise

Harry vs Joshua

Harry 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, Harry was ranked #13 and Joshua #63 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Harry was ranked #20 and Joshua #50 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and Joshua #81 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Harry was ranked #31 and Joshua #60 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2024, Harry was ranked #36 and Joshua #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Harry was ranked #40 and Joshua #67 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2019, Harry was ranked #431 and Joshua #336 among boys in Norway.

Harry and Joshua over time

Harry and Joshua appear together in 6 published lists, across 179 years of shared records. Joshua held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Harry 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 5 of those lists, Harry in 1. 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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1974–2025

    Harry held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Joshua in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Joshua #17 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, Joshua #81.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1992–2024

    Harry held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Joshua in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #15 in 2018, Joshua #1 in 1994.

    The order changed in 2017: Harry moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #27 and #19; by 2017 that had become #22 and #26.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #36, Joshua #76.

  • New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1994–2023

    Harry held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Joshua in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #22 in 2018, Joshua #1 in 1995.

    The order changed in 2022: Harry moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #58 and #47; by 2022 that had become #40 and #68.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Harry #40, Joshua #67.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Harry held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Joshua in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, Joshua #2 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2008: Harry moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #5 and #4; by 2008 that had become #4 and #5.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #20, Joshua #50.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Harry held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Joshua in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #4 in 2012, Joshua #6 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2009: Harry moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #16 and #6; by 2009 that had become #11 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #13, Joshua #63.

  • Norway · Boys13 shared years, 1973–2019

    Harry held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Joshua in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #396 in 1990, Joshua #278 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2017: Joshua moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #410 and #413; by 2017 that had become #478 and #408.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Harry #431, Joshua #336.

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 Harry

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

Other comparisons involving Joshua

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Harry, Joshua
FieldHarryJoshua
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation.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.
OriginEnglish, medieval form/diminutive of HenryBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈhæri//ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #81 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin, while Joshua is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Harry and Joshua both have 2 syllables.
  • Harry'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

Harry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #70 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Joshua

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1971–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1993 (recorded 1971–2024).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #405 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys