Josiah
Josiah is a boys' name of Hebrew origin meaning “God supports and heals.” It ranked #48 in the United States in 2025. From the Hebrew Yoshiyahu, meaning God supports.
how do you pronounce Josiah?
joh-ZY-ah
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Josiah mean?
The name Josiah means “God supports and heals.” It comes from the Hebrew language tradition.
From the Hebrew Yoshiyahu, meaning God supports. In the Hebrew Bible, Josiah was a king of Judah renowned for his religious reforms and his discovery of the Book of the Law. The name was favored by Puritans and has seen a strong revival.
where does the name Josiah come from?
From the Hebrew יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ (Yoshiyahu), joining a root generally understood as to heal or to support with Yah, the divine name. The first element is less certain than in most theophoric names, and translations vary between healed by Yahweh and supported by Yahweh.
the history of Josiah
Josiah became king of Judah as a child and, according to the books of Kings and Chronicles, launched a sweeping religious reform after a scroll of the law was discovered during temple repairs — an episode many scholars connect to the composition of Deuteronomy. English Puritans took up the name and carried it to America.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2024 | #48 |
| 2023 | #50 |
| 2022 | #52 |
| 2021 | #54 |
| 2020 | #57 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Josiah?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Josiah?
- King Josiah (biblical ruler)
- Josiah Wedgwood (potter)
- Josiah Bartlet (The West Wing character)
what names are similar to Josiah?
what names go well with Josiah?
Sibling names that share Josiah's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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