Joshua vs Noah
Joshua and Noahcompared 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, Joshua was ranked #76 and Noah #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Joshua was ranked #67 and Noah #1 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Joshua was ranked #405 and Noah #1 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Joshua was ranked #60 and Noah #1 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Joshua was ranked #50 and Noah #2 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Joshua was ranked #63 and Noah #3 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Joshua was ranked #81 and Noah #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Joshua and Noah over time
Joshua and Noah appear together in 6 published lists, across 169 years of shared records. Noah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Joshua in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 6 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 Noah 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 2014, Noah moved ahead of Joshua in England and Wales · Boys — #12 and #13 the year before became #13 and #11.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Joshua and Noah averaged 56.8 places apart, ending at #50 and #2.
- Longest-running competitions
Joshua and Noah were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 33 years, from 1990 to 2025, ending at #405 and #1.
List by list
Norway · Boys33 shared years, 1990–2025
Joshua held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Noah in 30.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #255 in 2007, Noah #1 in 2021.
The order changed in 1997: Noah moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #278 and #332; by 1997 that had become #413 and #274.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joshua #405, Noah #1.
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Joshua held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Noah in 16.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #17 in 2003, Noah #2 in 2021.
The order changed in 2010: Noah moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #30 and #41; by 2010 that had become #36 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joshua #81, Noah #3.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Joshua held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Noah in 11.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #2 in 2002, Noah #1 in 2021.
The order changed in 2014: Noah moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #12 and #13; by 2014 that had become #13 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joshua #50, Noah #2.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys27 shared years, 1998–2024
Joshua held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Noah in 14.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #1 in 1998, Noah #1 in 2022.
The order changed in 2011: Noah moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #4 and #8; by 2011 that had become #9 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joshua #76, Noah #1.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1998–2024
Joshua held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Noah in 15.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #6 in 2002, Noah #1 in 2018.
The order changed in 2010: Noah moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #16 and #30; by 2010 that had become #14 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joshua #63, Noah #3.
New Zealand · Boys23 shared years, 2001–2023
Joshua held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Noah in 12.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #1 in 2001, Noah #1 in 2023.
The order changed in 2012: Noah moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #2 and #6; by 2012 that had become #16 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Joshua #67, Noah #1.
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 | Joshua | Noah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'rest' or 'comfort'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/ | /ˈnoʊə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Noa, Noé |
| 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 #81 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Joshua is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Noah is recorded with a Hebrew origin.
- Joshua has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Noah.
- Joshua's recorded meaning differs from Noah's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Joshua a "medium" Data Confidence level and Noah a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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
Noah
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #640 among boys in Norway in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys