Joshi is a family name common in many parts of Nepal and India, especially in the West and North. The word Joshi is derived from "Jyotishi" meaning Astrologer. The surname Joshi is an indicator that the person is a Hindu Brahmin... In Deccan India, the Marathi and the Kannadiga have the name ज़ोशी as opposed to जोशी in North India and Nepal, however, it's the same surname. Wikipedia