Given name & surname
Josias
“God heals”·“God will help”
Josias is a variant of Josiah. Interpretations include “God heals” (Hebrew) and “God will help” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Josias is a variant of Josiah. Interpretations include “God heals” (Hebrew) and “God will help” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Josias is a variant of Josiah. An origin associated with Josiah is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1975. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Josias is a variant of Josiah. The history of Josiah gives this family its wider story. In biblical tradition, Josiah is the name of a king of Judah.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Josias through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,517
- 3,517 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 247 babies
- 2025
- 247
- #950 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +40%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 247 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 950 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 40.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (46). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,523 as a first name in 2020; a sample rank of No. 71,615 among surnames in 1990.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Josias’s family of names
In English usage, Josias has a diminutive in Joe. Josias has a related form in Josiah.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Josias
- Josias Braun-BlanquetSwiss botanist (1884–1980)
- Josias von HeeringenGerman general (1850-1926)
- Josias, Hereditary Prince of Waldeck and PyrmontGerman politician (NSDAP), MdR, SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS (1896-1967)
- Josias SimmlerSwiss theologian1530–1576
- Josias MoliVanuatuan politicianborn 1954
- Josias von RantzauDanish military, marshal of France1609–1650
- Josias II of Waldeck-WildungenMajor general in Brunswick and co-ruler of Waldeck-Wildungen1636–1669
- Josias I of Waldeck-EisenbergCount of Waldeck-Eisenberg (1578-1588)1554–1588
- Josias Hartmannsport shooter (1893-1982)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Josias, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Jasiah
Jasiah is a masculine given name.
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Jasai
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