Fun Facts About the Name Joyce
- An established favorite: Joyce held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 42 consecutive years, from 1924 through 1965.
- More than 512 thousand babies named Joyce: U.S. records list 512,228 babies given the name Joyce from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,900 boys received the name Joyce - about 1 boy for every 176 girls.
What Does the Name Joyce Mean?
Joyce is an English feminine given name that comes from the surname Joyce. The surname developed from the Middle English personal name Josce (also Joce, Josse), which was borrowed from Old French Josse. That Old French name represents the Latinized Breton name Iudocus (also Iodocus), from Breton Judoc. The Breton name is usually explained as containing a word for 'lord' (related to Middle Welsh iudd, 'lord') plus a diminutive suffix, so it is glossed either as 'lord' or, more literally, 'little lord.' Joyce is not etymologically related to the English word joy; the similar spelling is a later coincidence and association.
Joyce Name History & Origins
The earliest traceable source of the name is the Breton personal name Judoc, Latinized as Iudocus. It was borne by Saint Judoc, also known as Saint Josse, a 7th-century Breton noble who renounced his position and lived as a hermit in Ponthieu, in northern France. His cult spread, and the place of his burial became known as Saint-Josse-sur-Mer. Through his veneration, the name entered French usage in the form Josse and related spellings.
After the Norman Conquest, Old French Josse (also Josce, Joce) was brought to England. It was used there as a masculine personal name in the medieval period and later became a hereditary surname. The surname Joyce is found in England and in Ireland, where a Norman-Welsh family called Joyce became prominent in Connemara, County Galway.
The feminine given name Joyce developed from the surname. It was in use as a feminine name in the English-speaking world by the 19th century. In modern English it is chiefly a feminine given name.
How Popular is the Name Joyce?
Joyce remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1924 to 1965. Its highest annual birth count was in 1942, and people born that year turn 84 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,074 | 226 | 0.0141% |
| 2024 | #1,042 | 240 | 0.0149% |
| 2023 | #1,061 | 236 | 0.0147% |
| 2022 | #987 | 268 | 0.0164% |
| 2021 | #955 | 273 | 0.0166% |
| 2020 | #980 | 260 | 0.0161% |
| 2019 | #925 | 287 | 0.0171% |
| 2018 | #940 | 284 | 0.0167% |
| 2017 | #836 | 325 | 0.0188% |
| 2016 | #738 | 385 | 0.0217% |
| 2015 | #844 | 332 | 0.0186% |
| 2014 | #796 | 353 | 0.0198% |
| 2013 | #820 | 328 | 0.0187% |
| 2012 | #890 | 298 | 0.0169% |
| 2011 | #972 | 264 | 0.0150% |
| 2010 | #877 | 303 | 0.0170% |
| 2009 | #932 | 287 | 0.0156% |
| 2008 | #876 | 318 | 0.0168% |
| 2007 | #838 | 342 | 0.0178% |
| 2006 | #831 | 325 | 0.0171% |
| 2005 | #799 | 324 | 0.0175% |
| 2004 | #758 | 345 | 0.0188% |
| 2003 | #741 | 345 | 0.0189% |
| 2002 | #700 | 358 | 0.0199% |
| 2001 | #675 | 370 | 0.0205% |
| 2000 | #668 | 362 | 0.0199% |
| 1999 | #676 | 337 | 0.0190% |
| 1998 | #685 | 332 | 0.0188% |
| 1997 | #664 | 331 | 0.0190% |
| 1996 | #651 | 343 | 0.0196% |
| 1995 | #605 | 371 | 0.0211% |
| 1994 | #601 | 374 | 0.0209% |
| 1993 | #563 | 423 | 0.0234% |
| 1992 | #535 | 441 | 0.0239% |
| 1991 | #522 | 446 | 0.0238% |
| 1990 | #479 | 512 | 0.0270% |
| 1989 | #482 | 489 | 0.0265% |
| 1988 | #481 | 475 | 0.0267% |
| 1987 | #406 | 561 | 0.0323% |
| 1986 | #411 | 537 | 0.0313% |
| 1985 | #416 | 537 | 0.0312% |
| 1984 | #382 | 593 | 0.0352% |
| 1983 | #358 | 635 | 0.0380% |
| 1982 | #354 | 663 | 0.0392% |
| 1981 | #341 | 687 | 0.0412% |
| 1980 | #330 | 731 | 0.0440% |
| 1979 | #320 | 738 | 0.0460% |
| 1978 | #298 | 776 | 0.0507% |
| 1977 | #282 | 847 | 0.0552% |
| 1976 | #248 | 947 | 0.0646% |
| 1975 | #219 | 1,126 | 0.0772% |
| 1974 | #201 | 1,263 | 0.0861% |
| 1973 | #209 | 1,226 | 0.0841% |
| 1972 | #206 | 1,349 | 0.0887% |
| 1971 | #182 | 1,693 | 0.1018% |
| 1970 | #164 | 2,030 | 0.1161% |
| 1969 | #148 | 2,227 | 0.1320% |
| 1968 | #128 | 2,496 | 0.1522% |
| 1967 | #116 | 2,945 | 0.1784% |
| 1966 | #101 | 3,399 | 0.2009% |
| 1965 | #90 | 4,128 | 0.2339% |
| 1964 | #87 | 4,861 | 0.2565% |
| 1963 | #84 | 5,221 | 0.2709% |
| 1962 | #74 | 6,096 | 0.3100% |
| 1961 | #62 | 6,996 | 0.3466% |
| 1960 | #58 | 7,757 | 0.3836% |
| 1959 | #50 | 8,520 | 0.4211% |
| 1958 | #46 | 9,032 | 0.4490% |
| 1957 | #40 | 10,157 | 0.4967% |
| 1956 | #30 | 11,091 | 0.5524% |
| 1955 | #29 | 11,285 | 0.5772% |
| 1954 | #28 | 12,088 | 0.6225% |
| 1953 | #26 | 12,797 | 0.6802% |
| 1952 | #27 | 13,125 | 0.7078% |
| 1951 | #28 | 13,472 | 0.7481% |
| 1950 | #27 | 13,416 | 0.7832% |
| 1949 | #26 | 13,572 | 0.7933% |
| 1948 | #21 | 14,381 | 0.8470% |
| 1947 | #20 | 15,914 | 0.8977% |
| 1946 | #20 | 15,209 | 0.9679% |
| 1945 | #18 | 13,950 | 1.0673% |
| 1944 | #18 | 14,768 | 1.1127% |
| 1943 | #16 | 16,486 | 1.1815% |
| 1942 | #13 | 16,728 | 1.2385% |
| 1941 | #13 | 15,683 | 1.2981% |
| 1940 | #13 | 14,802 | 1.2944% |
| 1939 | #12 | 13,393 | 1.2213% |
| 1938 | #11 | 12,697 | 1.1507% |
| 1937 | #11 | 11,809 | 1.1098% |
| 1936 | #12 | 11,988 | 1.1523% |
| 1935 | #12 | 11,368 | 1.0841% |
| 1934 | #12 | 11,459 | 1.0974% |
| 1933 | #12 | 11,191 | 1.1103% |
| 1932 | #12 | 11,362 | 1.0647% |
| 1931 | #15 | 10,580 | 0.9937% |
| 1930 | #18 | 9,658 | 0.8578% |
| 1929 | #23 | 8,596 | 0.7699% |
| 1928 | #30 | 7,244 | 0.6281% |
| 1927 | #35 | 6,684 | 0.5605% |
| 1926 | #44 | 5,704 | 0.4812% |
| 1925 | #59 | 4,364 | 0.3585% |
| 1924 | #83 | 3,533 | 0.2829% |
| 1923 | #104 | 2,670 | 0.2213% |
| 1922 | #126 | 2,016 | 0.1679% |
| 1921 | #137 | 1,840 | 0.1492% |
| 1920 | #153 | 1,523 | 0.1271% |
| 1919 | #173 | 1,255 | 0.1111% |
| 1918 | #170 | 1,261 | 0.1089% |
| 1917 | #185 | 1,017 | 0.0941% |
| 1916 | #221 | 746 | 0.0714% |
| 1915 | #238 | 640 | 0.0651% |
| 1914 | #248 | 456 | 0.0599% |
| 1913 | #290 | 273 | 0.0437% |
| 1912 | #305 | 222 | 0.0398% |
| 1911 | #339 | 136 | 0.0325% |
| 1910 | #338 | 135 | 0.0340% |
| 1909 | #378 | 96 | 0.0276% |
| 1908 | #350 | 105 | 0.0314% |
| 1907 | #396 | 80 | 0.0251% |
| 1906 | #393 | 77 | 0.0261% |
| 1905 | #382 | 79 | 0.0271% |
| 1904 | #430 | 56 | 0.0203% |
| 1903 | #374 | 73 | 0.0279% |
| 1902 | #379 | 69 | 0.0261% |
| 1901 | #454 | 43 | 0.0180% |
| 1900 | #435 | 59 | 0.0197% |
| 1899 | #435 | 45 | 0.0193% |
| 1898 | #488 | 40 | 0.0155% |
| 1897 | #589 | 27 | 0.0115% |
| 1896 | #481 | 37 | 0.0156% |
| 1895 | #553 | 29 | 0.0124% |
| 1894 | #635 | 22 | 0.0099% |
| 1893 | #651 | 20 | 0.0094% |
| 1892 | #814 | 14 | 0.0066% |
| 1891 | #652 | 17 | 0.0092% |
| 1890 | #657 | 17 | 0.0089% |
| 1889 | #774 | 12 | 0.0067% |
| 1888 | #816 | 11 | 0.0062% |
| 1887 | #990 | 7 | 0.0048% |
| 1885 | #875 | 7 | 0.0053% |
| 1883 | #869 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1882 | #773 | 7 | 0.0065% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,164 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #7,457 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #11,482 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #11,393 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #13,004 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #10,254 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #11,447 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #13,170 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #9,143 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #10,155 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #13,053 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #11,494 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #13,345 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2004 | #10,632 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #11,256 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #7,536 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #9,547 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #8,128 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #8,776 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1989 | #4,655 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #5,204 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #3,347 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1985 | #7,055 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #5,198 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #4,721 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #4,848 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #4,285 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #3,477 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1971 | #2,626 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1970 | #2,679 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1969 | #2,616 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1968 | #1,991 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1967 | #2,084 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1966 | #2,711 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1965 | #2,219 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1964 | #2,259 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1963 | #1,865 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1962 | #1,532 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 1961 | #1,668 | 24 | 0.0011% |
| 1960 | #1,606 | 26 | 0.0012% |
| 1959 | #1,425 | 31 | 0.0015% |
| 1958 | #1,521 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 1957 | #1,333 | 35 | 0.0016% |
| 1956 | #1,431 | 30 | 0.0014% |
| 1955 | #1,521 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1954 | #1,349 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 1953 | #1,464 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1952 | #1,232 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 1951 | #1,285 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1950 | #1,380 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1949 | #1,154 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1948 | #1,223 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1947 | #1,075 | 46 | 0.0025% |
| 1946 | #882 | 56 | 0.0034% |
| 1945 | #957 | 46 | 0.0034% |
| 1944 | #785 | 64 | 0.0047% |
| 1943 | #716 | 81 | 0.0057% |
| 1942 | #725 | 79 | 0.0057% |
| 1941 | #768 | 66 | 0.0054% |
| 1940 | #669 | 83 | 0.0072% |
| 1939 | #773 | 62 | 0.0056% |
| 1938 | #722 | 72 | 0.0065% |
| 1937 | #634 | 86 | 0.0081% |
| 1936 | #704 | 72 | 0.0069% |
| 1935 | #634 | 86 | 0.0083% |
| 1934 | #736 | 69 | 0.0067% |
| 1933 | #804 | 59 | 0.0060% |
| 1932 | #625 | 91 | 0.0087% |
| 1931 | #654 | 84 | 0.0081% |
| 1930 | #727 | 76 | 0.0069% |
| 1929 | #717 | 76 | 0.0071% |
| 1928 | #802 | 67 | 0.0060% |
| 1927 | #743 | 78 | 0.0069% |
| 1926 | #924 | 54 | 0.0049% |
| 1925 | #1,061 | 43 | 0.0039% |
| 1924 | #989 | 51 | 0.0045% |
| 1923 | #1,149 | 39 | 0.0036% |
| 1922 | #1,128 | 40 | 0.0037% |
| 1921 | #963 | 53 | 0.0048% |
| 1920 | #870 | 62 | 0.0058% |
| 1919 | #1,005 | 46 | 0.0047% |
| 1918 | #991 | 46 | 0.0045% |
| 1917 | #991 | 44 | 0.0048% |
| 1916 | #1,086 | 36 | 0.0040% |
| 1915 | #1,061 | 37 | 0.0044% |
| 1914 | #1,465 | 18 | 0.0027% |
| 1913 | #1,743 | 11 | 0.0021% |
| 1912 | #1,316 | 14 | 0.0033% |
| 1911 | #1,471 | 7 | 0.0031% |
| 1908 | #1,505 | 5 | 0.0032% |
| 1907 | #1,265 | 6 | 0.0041% |
| 1905 | #1,037 | 7 | 0.0053% |
| 1900 | #1,410 | 5 | 0.0033% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Joyce
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Joyce Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are honest, benevolent, brilliant and often inventive, full of high inspirations. You are courageous, honest, determined, original and creative. You are a leader, especially for a cause. Sometimes you do not care to finish what you start, and may leave details to others. You can do well in position of authority, and prospers in intellectual and professional fields. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Joyce's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Joyce's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.