Joyce: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, and More

Fact: The name Joyce also transformed into a surname in various forms across England.

Joyce Overview

Meaning

Lord, marry, joy

Gender

Girl, Gender-neutral

Origin

Old English, Latin, Old French

Etymology

Derived from the Latin “Iudocus,” which is from the Breton “Judoc” meaning “lord.”

Religion

Christianity

Pronunciation

/dʒɔɪs/

Popularity

Once highly popular, especially from 1930-1947. Its popularity has declined since the mid-20th century

Syllable

1 syllable

Length

5 letters

Numerology

22 (Influential, Visionary, Powerful)

Name Styles

Traditional, Vintage, Classic

Associated Traits

Cheerful, friendly, reliable, creative

Joyce Variations in Different Cultures

Popular Variations

Joyceline, Joycelyn, Joceline

Common Nicknames

Joy, Joycie, JJ, Jojo, Joey, Joyful

Diminutives

Joy, Jo

Famous People

Joyce Carol Oates
(American Novelist)
Joyce Kilmer
(American Poet)
Joyce Brothers
(American Psychologist and TV Personality)
Joyce Banda
(Malawian Politician)
Joyce Meyer
(American Author and Speaker)

Pop Culture Icons and Works

Joyce Byers
("Stranger Things," TV show)
Joyce Summers
("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," TV show)
Joyce
("Joyce and the Wheeled Warriors," animated series)

Places

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest
(North Carolina, USA)
Joyce Kilmer Park
(New York, USA)
Joyce Kilmer Ave
(New Jersey, USA)

What Is the Meaning of Joyce?

The name Joyce originally means “lord,” derived from the Breton name Judoc which signifies “lord” or “little lord.” Over time, the name has also come to be associated with marry, joy and happiness.

What Is the Origin of The Name Joyce?

The name Joyce has its roots in Old English, Latin, and Old French. Originally derived from the Old French name “Josse,” which in turn came from the Latin “Jodocus,” it means “lord.” The name further evolved in Old English, taking on the joyful connotations it is known for today.

Joyce Name Popularity

Popularity Chart of the Name Joyce in the U.S. over the Years

United States	#9892022	#10582023
Top 3 Rankings	#111937	#111938	#121932

Annual Statistics Breakdown for Joyce

Year	Name Ranking	Number of Births	Birth Rate (%)
2023	1058 (-69 from 2022)	236 (-31 from 2022)	0.01349
2022	989 (-35 from 2021)	267 (-6 from 2021)	0.01489
2021	954 (+25 from 2020)	273 (+13 from 2020)	0.01524
2020	979 (-57 from 2019)	260 (-27 from 2019)	0.01471
2019	922 (+17 from 2018)	287 (+3 from 2018)	0.01564
2018	939 (-103 from 2017)	284 (-41 from 2017)	0.01527
2017	836 (-98 from 2016)	325 (-60 from 2016)	0.01720
2016	738 (+106 from 2015)	385 (+53 from 2015)	0.01989
2015	844 (-50 from 2014)	332 (-21 from 2014)	0.01702
2014	794 (+26 from 2013)	353 (+25 from 2013)	0.01804
2013	820 (+70 from 2012)	328 (+31 from 2012)	0.01702
2012	890 (+79 from 2011)	297 (+33 from 2011)	0.01531
2011	969 (-92 from 2010)	264 (-39 from 2010)	0.01362
2010	877 (+53 from 2009)	303 (+16 from 2009)	0.01545
2009	930 (-55 from 2008)	287 (-31 from 2008)	0.01417
2008	875 (-37 from 2007)	318 (-24 from 2007)	0.01527
2007	838 (-8 from 2006)	342 (+17 from 2006)	0.01616
2006	830 (-31 from 2005)	325 (+1 from 2005)	0.01555
2005	799 (-41 from 2004)	324 (-21 from 2004)	0.01596
2004	758 (-21 from 2003)	345 No change from 2003	0.01710
2003	737 (-37 from 2002)	345 (-13 from 2002)	0.01719
2002	700 (-25 from 2001)	358 (-12 from 2001)	0.01813
2001	675 (-8 from 2000)	370 (+8 from 2000)	0.01868
2000	667 (+8 from 1999)	362 (+25 from 1999)	0.01814
1999	675 (+10 from 1998)	337 (+5 from 1998)	0.01731
1998	685 (-21 from 1997)	332 (+1 from 1997)	0.01713
1997	664 (-14 from 1996)	331 (-12 from 1996)	0.01734
1996	650 (-45 from 1995)	343 (-28 from 1995)	0.01789
1995	605 (-4 from 1994)	371 (-3 from 1994)	0.01931
1994	601 (-38 from 1993)	374 (-49 from 1993)	0.01919
1993	563 (-29 from 1992)	423 (-18 from 1992)	0.02146
1992	534 (-13 from 1991)	441 (-5 from 1991)	0.02200
1991	521 (-42 from 1990)	446 (-66 from 1990)	0.02193
1990	479 (+2 from 1989)	512 (+22 from 1989)	0.02492
1989	481 (-2 from 1988)	490 (+15 from 1988)	0.02460
1988	479 (-74 from 1987)	475 (-86 from 1987)	0.02470
1987	405 (+5 from 1986)	561 (+24 from 1986)	0.02993
1986	410 (+6 from 1985)	537 No change from 1985	0.02910
1985	416 (-34 from 1984)	537 (-56 from 1984)	0.02908
1984	382 (-24 from 1983)	593 (-42 from 1983)	0.03288
1983	358 (-4 from 1982)	635 (-28 from 1982)	0.03548
1982	354 (-14 from 1981)	663 (-24 from 1981)	0.03654
1981	340 (-10 from 1980)	687 (-44 from 1980)	0.03841
1980	330 (-10 from 1979)	731 (-7 from 1979)	0.04105
1979	320 (-22 from 1978)	738 (-38 from 1978)	0.04283
1978	298 (-16 from 1977)	776 (-71 from 1977)	0.04721
1977	282 (-34 from 1976)	847 (-100 from 1976)	0.05149
1976	248 (-29 from 1975)	947 (-179 from 1975)	0.06025
1975	219 (-18 from 1974)	1126 (-137 from 1974)	0.07214
1974	201 (+8 from 1973)	1263 (+37 from 1973)	0.08064
1973	209 (-3 from 1972)	1226 (-123 from 1972)	0.07889
1972	206 (-24 from 1971)	1349 (-344 from 1971)	0.08366
1971	182 (-18 from 1970)	1693 (-337 from 1970)	0.09660
1970	164 (-16 from 1969)	2030 (-198 from 1969)	0.11082
1969	148 (-20 from 1968)	2228 (-268 from 1968)	0.12639
1968	128 (-12 from 1967)	2496 (-447 from 1967)	0.14599
1967	116 (-15 from 1966)	2943 (-455 from 1966)	0.17142
1966	101 (-11 from 1965)	3398 (-730 from 1965)	0.19353
1965	90 (-3 from 1964)	4128 (-733 from 1964)	0.22589
1964	87 (-3 from 1963)	4861 (-362 from 1963)	0.24834
1963	84 (-10 from 1962)	5223 (-872 from 1962)	0.26272
1962	74 (-12 from 1961)	6095 (-901 from 1961)	0.30071
1961	62 (-4 from 1960)	6996 (-760 from 1960)	0.33681
1960	58 (-8 from 1959)	7756 (-762 from 1959)	0.37293
1959	50 (-4 from 1958)	8518 (-512 from 1958)	0.40979
1958	46 (-6 from 1957)	9030 (-1129 from 1957)	0.43713
1957	40 (-10 from 1956)	10159 (-932 from 1956)	0.48419
1956	30 (-1 from 1955)	11091 (-194 from 1955)	0.53852
1955	29 (-1 from 1954)	11285 (-803 from 1954)	0.56287
1954	28 (-2 from 1953)	12088 (-708 from 1953)	0.60718
1953	26 (+1 from 1952)	12796 (-329 from 1952)	0.66317
1952	27 (+1 from 1951)	13125 (-346 from 1951)	0.69007
1951	28 (-1 from 1950)	13471 (+54 from 1950)	0.72924
1950	27 (-1 from 1949)	13417 (-155 from 1949)	0.76297
1949	26 (-5 from 1948)	13572 (-811 from 1948)	0.77311
1948	21 (-1 from 1947)	14383 (-1529 from 1947)	0.82534
1947	20 No change from 1946	15912 (+702 from 1946)	0.87531
1946	20 (-2 from 1945)	15210 (+1259 from 1945)	0.94302
1945	18 No change from 1944	13951 (-816 from 1944)	1.03639
1944	18 (-2 from 1943)	14767 (-1720 from 1943)	1.08062
1943	16 (-3 from 1942)	16487 (-240 from 1942)	1.14860
1942	13 No change from 1941	16727 (+1044 from 1941)	1.20297
1941	13 No change from 1940	15683 (+881 from 1940)	1.25868
1940	13 (-1 from 1939)	14802 (+1409 from 1939)	1.25298
1939	12 (-1 from 1938)	13393 (+697 from 1938)	1.18097
1938	11 No change from 1937	12696 (+887 from 1937)	1.11227
1937	11 (+1 from 1936)	11809 (-180 from 1936)	1.07175
1936	12 No change from 1935	11989 (+623 from 1935)	1.11261
1935	12 No change from 1934	11366 (-94 from 1934)	1.04585
1934	12 No change from 1933	11460 (+269 from 1933)	1.05882
1933	12 No change from 1932	11191 (-171 from 1932)	1.06985
1932	12 (+3 from 1931)	11362 (+782 from 1931)	1.02703
1931	15 (+3 from 1930)	10580 (+922 from 1930)	0.95858
1930	18 (+5 from 1929)	9658 (+1062 from 1929)	0.82798
1929	23 (+7 from 1928)	8596 (+1352 from 1928)	0.74260
1928	30 (+5 from 1927)	7244 (+560 from 1927)	0.60592
1927	35 (+9 from 1926)	6684 (+980 from 1926)	0.54058
1926	44 (+15 from 1925)	5704 (+1340 from 1925)	0.46367
1925	59 (+24 from 1924)	4364 (+831 from 1924)	0.34550
1924	83 (+21 from 1923)	3533 (+863 from 1923)	0.27268
1923	104 (+22 from 1922)	2670 (+654 from 1922)	0.21318
1922	126 (+11 from 1921)	2016 (+176 from 1921)	0.16159
1921	137 (+16 from 1920)	1840 (+317 from 1920)	0.14378
1920	153 (+20 from 1919)	1523 (+268 from 1919)	0.12242
1919	173 (-3 from 1918)	1255 (-6 from 1918)	0.10684
1918	170 (+15 from 1917)	1261 (+244 from 1917)	0.10488
1917	185 (+36 from 1916)	1017 (+271 from 1916)	0.09051
1916	221 (+17 from 1915)	746 (+106 from 1915)	0.06871
1915	238 (+10 from 1914)	640 (+184 from 1914)	0.06251
1914	248 (+39 from 1913)	456 (+183 from 1913)	0.05724
1913	287 (+17 from 1912)	273 (+51 from 1912)	0.04168
1912	304 (+35 from 1911)	222 (+86 from 1911)	0.03784
1911	339 (-1 from 1910)	136 (+1 from 1910)	0.03078
1910	338 (+39 from 1909)	135 (+39 from 1909)	0.03218
1909	377 (-29 from 1908)	96 (-9 from 1908)	0.02608
1908	348 (+47 from 1907)	105 (+25 from 1907)	0.02962
1907	395 (-3 from 1906)	80 (+3 from 1906)	0.02371
1906	392 (-12 from 1905)	77 (-2 from 1905)	0.02457
1905	380 (+50 from 1904)	79 (+23 from 1904)	0.02550
1904	430 (-57 from 1903)	56 (-17 from 1903)	0.01915
1903	373 (+6 from 1902)	73 (+4 from 1902)	0.02624
1902	379 (+73 from 1901)	69 (+26 from 1901)	0.02461
1901	452 (-21 from 1900)	43 (-16 from 1900)	0.01691
1900	431 (+2 from 1899)	59 (+14 from 1899)	0.01857
1899	433 (+53 from 1898)	45 (+5 from 1898)	0.01818
1898	486 (+98 from 1897)	40 (+13 from 1897)	0.01459
1897	584 (-106 from 1896)	27 (-10 from 1896)	0.01088
1896	478 (+69 from 1895)	37 (+8 from 1895)	0.01468
1895	547 (+81 from 1894)	29 (+7 from 1894)	0.01174
1894	628 (+16 from 1893)	22 (+2 from 1893)	0.00932
1893	644 (+152 from 1892)	20 (+6 from 1892)	0.00888
1892	796 (-152 from 1891)	14 (-3 from 1891)	0.00622
1891	644 (-2 from 1890)	17 No change from 1890	0.00865
1890	642 (+115 from 1889)	17 (+5 from 1889)	0.00843
1889	757 (+36 from 1888)	12 (+1 from 1888)	0.00634
1888	793 (+144 from 1887)	11 (+4 from 1887)	0.00581
1887	937 (-95 from 1885)	7 No change from 1885	0.00450
1886	0 No SSA data	0 No SSA data	0.0000
1885	842 (-25 from 1883)	7 (+1 from 1883)	0.00493
1884	0 No SSA data	0 No SSA data	0.0000
1883	817 (-77 from 1882)	6 (-1 from 1882)	0.00500
1882	740 First SSA data recorded	7 First SSA data recorded	0.00605
1881	0 No SSA data	0 No SSA data	0.0000
1880	0 No SSA data	0 No SSA data	0.0000

American States Popularity Rankings for Joyce

(From the Most to Least Popular, Based on Number of Births )

New York (NY)

#8342021

#5102022

#6872023

Pennsylvania (PA)

#8482021

#10702022

#13192023

Ohio (OH)

#12102021

#13382022

#13442023

Illinois (IL)

#7672021

#13552022

#11872023

Texas (TX)

#10112021

#9982022

#10422023

California (CA)

#7602021

#8672022

#8312023

Michigan (MI)

#13412018

#9102020

#11442021

North Carolina (NC)

#11732021

#13602022

#11832023

Virginia (VA)

#11042019

#12452020

#8262021

Missouri (MO)

#10342018

#8962019

#10092021

Kentucky (KY)

#5302019

#4412021

#7882022

Tennessee (TN)

#11992018

#8982019

#10672022

New Jersey (NJ)

#7672021

#6982022

#9112023

Indiana (IN)

#11282018

#11042019

#8622020

Wisconsin (WI)

#7882017

#9082018

#6942021

Louisiana (LA)

#5751994

#6141997

#7932022

Georgia (GA)

#14012021

#9472022

#16652023

Massachusetts (MA)

#9092018

#5772019

#9332022

Minnesota (MN)

#9442018

#9072021

#9032023

Alabama (AL)

#5461994

#6442000

#8692007

Florida (FL)

#9402021

#7932022

#9592023

Iowa (IA)

#6322020

#5332021

#6142023

Oklahoma (OK)

#5431989

#5661993

#7392004

Arkansas (AR)

#4241988

#3721992

#5162016

Maryland (MD)

#5112019

#9912020

#10352022

South Carolina (SC)

#5651995

#6072004

#8262009

Mississippi (MS)

#2851987

#4121989

#4991995

West Virginia (WV)

#2891988

#2601990

#2931995

Kansas (KS)

#4311985

#3871986

#5492008

Washington (WA)

#6162020

#8282021

#8052023

Connecticut (CT)

#5121994

#4981998

#4752003

Nebraska (NE)

#3041973

#2861975

#2941981

District of Columbia (DC)

#2631983

#2381984

#2891985

Colorado (CO)

#6122008

#9742018

#8162021

Oregon (OR)

#6492014

#5212017

#6892018

Maine (ME)

#2041973

#2381974

#2421977

Utah (UT)

#8352008

#8112014

#7322018

South Dakota (SD)

#1761966

#1761968

#2021973

North Dakota (ND)

#2041969

#1801971

#1512019

Rhode Island (RI)

#1001970

#1721972

#2321990

Idaho (ID)

#1911966

#1671967

#1551968

Montana (MT)

#1671965

#2251969

#2251970

Arizona (AZ)

#11342020

#11522021

#8002023

Vermont (VT)

#971964

#1141966

#1071967

Hawaii (HI)

#1391994

#2911995

#2691996

New Hampshire (NH)

#1481968

#1581969

#1561971

New Mexico (NM)

#2711981

#3381983

#3001987

Delaware (DE)

#1521970

#1551971

#1501979

Wyoming (WY)

#1321963

#1131964

#951965

Nevada (NV)

#2071988

#4021996

#5892011

Alaska (AK)

#1401973

#791974

#2251984

Source: Social Security Administration (SSA) and Other National Sources

Is Joyce a Name for Boys or Girls?

Joyce started as a masculine name but transitioned primarily to a feminine name from the 16th century among Puritans and became particularly popular for girls in the mid-20th century. Today, it is predominantly considered a female name, though it retains some masculine usage

Variants, Nicknames, Diminutives, and Ideal Middle Names for Joyce

Joyceline
Joycelyn
Joceline

Joyce in Famous People Names, Pop Culture, and Places

Joyce Carol Oates (Novelist, born 1938): A renowned writer with many awards, known for her exploration of dark themes in American life.
Joyce Kilmer (Poet, 1886-1918): Famous for the poem "Trees," Kilmer's work celebrates nature and spirituality.
Joyce Brothers (Psychologist and TV Personality, 1927-2013): A pioneering TV psychologist, Brothers brought psychological advice into American living rooms.
Joyce Banda (Politician, born 1950): Former president of Malawi and an advocate for women's rights and education.
Joyce Meyer (Author and Speaker, born 1943): A leading Christian speaker and writer known for her motivational works.
Joyce DeWitt (Actress, born 1949): Best known as Janet Wood from the sitcom "Three's Company."
Joyce Grenfell (Actress and Comedian, 1910-1979): A British entertainer famous for her comedic roles in films and on stage.

Joycelynn
Joyse
Joyline
Joyan
Joycie

Sibling Names for Joyce

For a Brother
For a Sister

Parents Who Like the Name Joyce Also Like

Thank you for exploring the delightful meanings behind the name Joyce! If this piqued your interest, don’t forget to like, share, and comment below with your thoughts. Feel free to explore other names on our website to discover their unique stories and origins.

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Editor in Chief, Educational Specialist, and Senior Content Creator

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1. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Joyce Name Meaning