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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

What do people think of the baby name Josh?

62 replies

Namesnamesnames13 · 16/07/2026 21:06

Thoughts on the name Josh? Not for me, but for my sister. She asked me to post it!!

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Darragon · 16/07/2026 22:04

Not going to lie, it’s so long since I’ve seen a person with this nickname that my first thought now is Rogan Josh. It is a good curry to be named after though. I feel differently about Joshua though, that still feels like a classic.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 16/07/2026 22:03

I love Joshua (husband didn’t like it so couldn’t use it).
it was popular when I was at school

floofydoofy · 16/07/2026 22:00

I was born late 90s and there were loads of boys called Josh when I was at school. Half of our school year were Ben, Sam, Josh or Matt (pretty sure all of them were Benjamin, Samuel, Joshua and Matthew, though).

I like Joshua but don't like Josh at all. Just sounds like squash to me and a bit of a 'nothing' name. I feel Joshua has more to it, but would obviously be shortened.

NamingNoNames · 16/07/2026 21:55

It's fine. #53 in 2025. Was very popular in the 1990s and 2000s.
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@CypressMoon ,definitely not rare in the UK.

MrsMoastyToasty · 16/07/2026 21:53

I like it .
However I didn't like the way Rachel pronounced Joshua in Friends.

BoleynMemories13 · 16/07/2026 21:48

CypressMoon · 16/07/2026 21:28

Short for Joshua. I love it. Cute, cool, biblical.

But 30 years ago I worked with US teenagers and every second boy was called Josh, so I imagine USA is full of middle aged Joshes now, if that makes any difference. Still relatively rare in UK, though.

Josh/Joshua is definitely not 'relatively rare'. It was a top 10 name from the late 90s and throughout the 00s in England and Wales, so there are loads of teen and 20 somethings called Josh over here now.

It's less popular than it was, but definitely not rare.

BoleynMemories13 · 16/07/2026 21:45

I would advise she puts Joshua on the birth certificate. Josh is quite limiting. I would say the same about Sam, Tom, Matt etc.

I like Joshua.

CypressMoon · 16/07/2026 21:28

Short for Joshua. I love it. Cute, cool, biblical.

But 30 years ago I worked with US teenagers and every second boy was called Josh, so I imagine USA is full of middle aged Joshes now, if that makes any difference. Still relatively rare in UK, though.

TooHotMyIcecreamHasMelted · 16/07/2026 21:28

I love it.

mynameiscalypso · 16/07/2026 21:23

I have a Joshua (known as Josh) so I may be biased but I think it’s the best name. It does seem to be quite popular though, I know an increasing number of them.

TheyGrewUp · 16/07/2026 21:18

We say "they were just joshing", for mucking about.

Berlinlover · 16/07/2026 21:16

A bit dated.