Joyce
Joyce is a girl's name of French origin.
Meaning
Lord, or derived from the word joy.
Origin and history
Joyce derives from the Old French name Josse (from the Breton name Iudoc, meaning 'lord'), but was later strongly influenced by the English word joy. Although used as a masculine name in medieval times, it became overwhelmingly used as a feminine name in the 20th century. It stands as a timeless classic in the United States.
Popularity in the United States
509,332 babies in the United States have been named Joyce since 1880. It ranks #63 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #954.
States where it is most popular
- NY (7.2 %)
- PA (6 %)
- OH (5.5 %)
- IL (5.4 %)
- TX (5.2 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 50 |
| 1890-1900 | 268 |
| 1900-1910 | 737 |
| 1910-1920 | 6,141 |
| 1920-1930 | 44,174 |
| 1930-1940 | 115,506 |
| 1940-1950 | 151,494 |
| 1950-1960 | 114,984 |
| 1960-1970 | 46,125 |
| 1970-1980 | 11,992 |
| 1980-1990 | 5,908 |
| 1990-2000 | 3,910 |
| 2000-2010 | 3,376 |
| 2010-2019 | 3,159 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,508 |
Famous people named Joyce
- Joyce Carol Oates: Author, Professor
- Joyce DeWitt: Actress
- Joyce Brothers: Psychologist, Columnist
Nicknames
Joy
Fun facts
- Joyce was originally a medieval masculine given name before transitioning to a popular feminine name in the early 20th century.
- Joyce ranked among the top 15 most popular girl names in the United States throughout the late 1930s.