Meaning: Its source is Yehoshua, a Hebrew name meaning "God is salvation."

This name is usually written with an accent -- Josué.

Languages: This boy's name is used in French.

Popularity: The name Josue ranked 214th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 767th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Narrative: In the Jewish scriptures, Joshua, which is the source for the name Jesus, is the hero of Israel's conquest of the Promised Land. Successor to Moses, he is a mighty soldier who is also known for his piety and fairness.

Joshua features in a well-loved African-American spiritual that recounts: ''Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls came a-tumblin' down!'' The ancient site of Jericho has been excavated by many scientists over the last century. They still puzzle over the miracle described in the song -- at Joshua's command, the people surrounding the city blew rams' horns and raised a shout so mighty that Jericho's defenses crumbled, giving the battle to the Children of Israel.