Joshua or Ezra?

[Gherkin32]

Please help! Pregnant with DS2 and can’t decide on a name. After hours of discussing names we’re down to our final two. DH has always loved Joshua and I like it (just don’t love it). We both like that the name can be shortened to Josh or can be used in full.

I like Ezra too, I know a few girls with the name which puts me off slightly and I’m not sure about Ez for short. DH prefers Joshua and I love lots of other names (mainly Old Testament) but they don’t work with our awkward surname.

What would you use? Thank you x

I definitely prefer Joshua. I know a few baby Ezras so I think for me it seems quite current where as Joshua feels more timeless.

Joshua.

Out of those, Joshua.

Joshua by a mile.

I like both but I think I prefer Joshua

Also I only know boys named Ezra I didn't know it could be a girls name too

I already have a Joshua and Ezra would be top of my list if I had a 3rd boy.

I was adamant he wouldn't be a Joshua. Until he was born. I always say it was so obviously his name he may as well had it tattooed on his head.

I think Ezra is predominantly a male name.
It doesn’t need to be shortened... I have a two syllable name that has never been shortened.

Of the two, Joshua. I don't like Ezra

Joshua is one of my all-time favourite boy names. So, Joshua. I do like Ezra too though.

I wouldn't worry much about girls being named Ezra - there are very small numbers in comparison to boys (and most boys names ending in -a will have some girls named them).

But to be be honest as much as I like Ezra (and personally prefer the sound of it to Joshua); I think if you are torn between the two - then I'd use Joshua. Joshua is more classic sounding of the two and it has had steady use for years but is now falling in popularity (soon to be out of the top20 ). Ezra could be the next Noah - it has shot up in popularity in the last 5 years (still rising) and so might risk sounding dated in future.

Is popularity a factor? Joshua feels very popular to me but that’s because I teach in a secondary school and therefore am currently teaching some of the many Joshuas who were born in its very popular years in the early 2000s. That might also make it feel a bit dated soon. I find it incredibly weird that there are people calling their daughters Ezra. I must be getting old.

How about Josiah?

I like Ezra but always considered it a girls name. I have only heard of girls being named Ezra.
Joshua is nice but super popular and over used.

Joshua is lovely, that would be my favourite although I do like Ezra too.

Esra is supposed to be the girl's name. I think it's Turkish.

They're both popular names - this might be a wait and see until the baby is born. One name will fit.

Ephram is a biblical name I love!

I love both

In terms of Ezra being used for girls. Have a look at the statistics to give you some reassurance

In 2019 for example according to official ONS statistics, 1,105 boys were called Ezra and only 30 girls. In 2018 the numbers were similar again, over 1,000 boy and less than 30 girls. It's pretty clearly seen as a boys name, the chance of meeting a girl with this name is exceptionally rare. To know "a few" girls called Ezra is so ridiculously unusual that you should start playing the lottery.

I know a family with two little boys - Joshua and Ezra!

I like both names - Ezra a bit more unusual but Joshua has more nickname potential and is a bit softer sounding.

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I appreciate your opinions and they have really helped.

@ZoyaTheDestroyer thank you - I do really like Josiah but it has been vetoed by DH.

@Whatsyourflava Hahaha . Maybe I should! I know more female Ezra’s than I do male Ezra’s.
Ezra also has some negative connotations to some as well - Ezra Pound and Ezra’s character from the bible was not that great either - against mixed marriages and made the Israelites abandon their wives and children.
Joshua it is - thanks again everyone!
x

I see you've decided - I was just going to say I much prefer Joshua.

Ezra. Joshua is ok but I dislike Josh.