Namewise

Joshua vs Ross

Joshua and Rosscompared 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 1985, Joshua was ranked #9 and Ross #96 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1983, Joshua was ranked #11 and Ross #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Joshua was ranked #46 and Ross #395 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Joshua was ranked #53 and Ross #2014 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Joshua was ranked #60 and Ross #307 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Joshua was ranked #81 and Ross #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Joshua and Ross over time

Joshua and Ross appear together in 5 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. Joshua held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ross 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.

Ross reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Joshua moved into the top 50 at #34 in 2000 as Ross fell out of it to #56, having been #43 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2000, Joshua moved ahead of Ross in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #44 and #43 the year before became #34 and #56.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 47 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Joshua rose about as far as Ross fell — from #288 and #196 in 1974 to #81 and #329 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Joshua and Ross were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #53 and #2014.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1997 they stood at #22 and #30 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 8 places apart; by 2023 they were #46 and #395.

List by list

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

    Joshua held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Ross in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Joshua #17 in 2003, Ross #39 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2000: Joshua moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #44 and #43; by 2000 that had become #34 and #56.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Joshua #81, Ross #329.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Joshua #2 in 2002, Ross #60 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Joshua #53, Ross #2014.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2023

    Joshua held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Ross in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Joshua #6 in 2002, Ross #30 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Joshua #46, Ross #395.

  • New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 1976–1985

    Joshua held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Ross in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Joshua #9 in 1985, Ross #71 in 1979.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1985: Joshua #9, Ross #96.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 1971–1983

    Joshua held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Ross in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Joshua #11 in 1983, Ross #78 in 1979.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1983: Joshua #11, Ross #86.

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 Joshua

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

Other comparisons involving Ross

Pairs where Ross 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 took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland 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 Joshua, Ross
FieldJoshuaRoss
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom 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.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/Not yet recorded
Syllables21
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, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #53 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Joshua has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Ross does not have one recorded yet.
  • Joshua has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ross.
  • A meaning is recorded for Joshua; Ross 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

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

Ross

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #36 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1985

    Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1985).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2014 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys