Josiah

A Hebrew-origin biblical name often interpreted as “Yahweh supports/heals,” with wording varying by source.

Josiah is a masculine name with Hebrew roots and a strong presence in biblical tradition. In the Hebrew Bible, Josiah is the name of a king of Judah, so the name’s cultural meaning is closely tied to Jewish and Christian scriptural contexts rather than being purely a modern invention. Etymologically, Josiah is typically traced to a Hebrew form often represented as Yoshiyahu or similar spellings in transliteration. Many references interpret the theophoric elements as expressing an idea like “Yahweh supports” or “Yahweh heals,” though the exact English wording differs across sources and translation traditions. In English, the common pronunciation is joh-SY-uh (three syllables, stress on the middle). A practical tip is that it often shortens naturally to Jo or Siah, and that a close spelling variant like Josias may appear in some historical or language contexts.

Etymology: From a Hebrew name commonly written as Yoshiyahu/Yoshiah in scholarly forms; in the Hebrew Bible, Josiah is a king of Judah, so the name is strongly tied to biblical tradition.