Namewise

Hayden vs Joshua

Hayden 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, Hayden was ranked #88 and Joshua #16 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2016, Hayden was ranked #96 and Joshua #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Hayden was ranked #314 and Joshua #53 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Hayden was ranked #268 and Joshua #60 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Hayden was ranked #164 and Joshua #63 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Hayden was ranked #223 and Joshua #81 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Hayden and Joshua over time

Hayden and Joshua appear together in 5 published lists, across 152 years of shared records. Joshua held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Hayden in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one 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 4 of those lists, Hayden 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1979, Joshua moved ahead of Hayden in New Zealand · Boys — #35 and #51 the year before became #39 and #28.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Hayden and Joshua averaged 48.4 places apart, ending at #96 and #19.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hayden and Joshua were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #314 and #53.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Hayden #31 in 1994, Joshua #1 in 1993.

List by list

  • New Zealand · Boys37 shared years, 1974–2012

    Hayden held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Joshua in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Hayden #26 in 1994, Joshua #1 in 1995.

    The order changed in 1979: Joshua moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #35 and #51; by 1979 that had become #39 and #28.

    Most recent shared year, 2012: Hayden #88, Joshua #16.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1992–2025

    Hayden held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joshua in 33.

    Highest recorded here: Hayden #177 in 2009, Joshua #17 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hayden #223, Joshua #81.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Hayden held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joshua in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Hayden #71 in 2008, Joshua #2 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hayden #314, Joshua #53.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1987–2016

    Hayden held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joshua in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Hayden #31 in 1994, Joshua #1 in 1993.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Hayden #96, Joshua #19.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2024

    Hayden held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joshua in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Hayden #132 in 2008, Joshua #6 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Hayden #164, 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.

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 Hayden

Pairs where Hayden 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

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

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Hayden, Joshua
FieldHaydenJoshua
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom 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.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #223 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #53 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Joshua has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Hayden does not have one recorded yet.
  • Hayden and Joshua both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Joshua; Hayden 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

Hayden

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1974

    First recorded at #67 among boys in New Zealand in 1974 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1974–2012

    Highest recorded position: #26 among boys in New Zealand, in 1994 (recorded 1974–2012).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #314 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · 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 #53 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys