Joey Unisex

Popularity: #671 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JOE-ee //ˈdʒoʊ.i//

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: God will increase; English: diminutive of Joseph

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Joey is derived from the Hebrew name Yosef, which means "he will add" or "God will increase." This name was adopted into Greek as Ioseph and subsequently into Latin as Iosephus. The name made its way into Old French as Josse and eventually into Middle English as Joseph, from which Joey emerged as a diminutive form.

The use of Joey as a standalone name became more common in the 20th century, but its roots trace back to ancient languages and cultures. Historically, the name Joseph is significant in various religious texts.

In the Hebrew Bible, Joseph is a prominent figure, known for his coat of many colors and his rise to power in Egypt, serving as a key character in the Book of Genesis. In Christianity, Joseph is recognized as the husband of Mary and the earthly father of Jesus, making the name particularly revered in Christian traditions.

The name appears in significant translations, such as the King James Bible, published in 1611, which helped solidify its usage in English-speaking cultures. Culturally, the name Joey has been associated with qualities such as loyalty and strength, often reflecting the characteristics of its biblical namesake.

The diminutive form Joey conveys a sense of familiarity and affection, which has contributed to its enduring appeal. In various cultures, diminutive forms of names often signify intimacy or endearment, and Joey serves this purpose well, linking back to its origins while maintaining a distinct identity.

Famous people named Joey

In this section, you will find notable people named Joey. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Joey who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Joey who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Joey Tribbiani is a fictional character best known for the television series Friends.

Joey Lawrence is an actor best known for Blossom, Melissa & Joey, and his role in the sitcoms.

Joey Chestnut is a competitive eater best known for winning the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest multiple times.

Joey Bada$$ is a rapper and actor best known for his albums B4.DA.$$ and All-Amerikkkan Bada$$.

Joey McIntyre is a singer and actor best known for being a member of New Kids on the Block and his solo music career.

Joey Fatone is a singer and actor best known for being a member of NSYNC and hosting various television shows.

Fictional characters named Joey

The following list of fictional characters named Joey is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Joey Tribbiani is a fictional character from the TV show Friends. He is a lovable, yet somewhat dim-witted actor known for his catchphrase 'How you doin'?' and his charming personality.

Joey Wheeler is a fictional character from the anime and manga series Yu-Gi-Oh!. He is a loyal friend and skilled duelist who often supports the main protagonist, Yugi Mutou, in their battles.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Joey, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

JakeJordanJaredJamesJesseJaxon

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Joey. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

JodyJonahJasperJaceJosiahJettJuliusJaden

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Joey was first seen in the United States in 1915.

Joey has ranked as high as #405 nationally, which occurred in 1962, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, North Carolina, and Georgia.

In the past 5 years the name Joey has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Joey is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Joey was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Joey.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 420 274 146
2024 431 267 164
2023 425 258 167
2022 425 264 161
2021 430 252 178
2020 406 253 153
2019 438 306 132
2018 474 323 151
2017 447 301 146
2016 509 355 154
2015 413 318 95
2014 489 370 119
2013 455 382 73
2012 487 404 83
2011 498 408 90
2010 507 405 102
2009 507 408 99
2008 559 448 111
2007 605 470 135
2006 601 474 127
2005 628 482 146
2004 629 508 121
2003 629 496 133
2002 540 448 92
2001 530 435 95
2000 561 481 80
1999 519 449 70
1998 474 403 71
1997 497 441 56
1996 519 470 49
1995 574 507 67
1994 607 554 53
1993 706 653 53
1992 629 575 54
1991 711 651 60
1990 729 685 44
1989 647 605 42
1988 666 619 47
1987 759 720 39
1986 700 655 45
1985 811 763 48
1984 800 742 58
1983 871 791 80
1982 1,075 1,001 74
1981 1,173 1,072 101
1980 1,280 1,154 126
1979 1,268 1,095 173
1978 1,220 1,072 148
1977 1,410 1,213 197
1976 1,363 1,160 203
1975 1,064 840 224
1974 1,087 855 232
1973 1,080 872 208
1972 1,097 912 185
1971 1,237 1,070 167
1970 1,335 1,137 198
1969 1,333 1,191 142
1968 1,256 1,111 145
1967 1,151 1,068 83
1966 1,087 1,032 55
1965 1,146 1,120 26
1964 1,395 1,362 33
1963 1,400 1,382 18
1962 1,572 1,529 43
1961 1,286 1,257 29
1960 1,229 1,206 23
1959 1,147 1,121 26
1958 1,107 1,067 40
1957 1,084 1,041 43
1956 975 946 29
1955 719 693 26
1954 530 500 30
1953 356 328 28
1952 258 241 17
1951 222 196 26
1950 215 188 27
1949 169 154 15
1948 168 153 15
1947 188 174 14
1946 137 121 16
1945 140 120 20
1944 157 137 20
1943 145 131 14
1942 118 96 22
1941 60 52 8
1940 70 65 5
1939 58 49 9
1938 42 31 11
1937 49 38 11
1936 43 31 12
1935 44 35 9
1934 37 26 11
1933 36 22 14
1932 40 28 12
1931 31 24 7
1930 29 24 5
1929 22 16 6
1928 26 19 7
1927 19 14 5
1926 21 15 6
1925 19 11 8
1924 23 14 9
1923 13 5 8
1922 18 12 6
1921 19 8 11
1920 5 5 0
1919 15 8 7
1918 7 0 7
1916 9 9 0
1915 6 6 0

Top States for Joey (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 83
28%
TX 47
16%
FL 27
9%
OH 24
8%
NY 23
8%
WA 20
7%
PA 11
4%
UT 11
4%
AZ 9
3%
IL 9
3%
MA 8
3%
WI 7
2%
GA 6
2%
IN 5
2%
KS 5
2%
NC 5
2%