Joyce Girl

Popularity: #723 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JOYSS //dʒɔɪs//

Origin: Latin; Irish

Meaning: Latin: merry; Irish: lord

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Joyce has its roots in the Old French name 'Josse,' which is derived from the Latin 'Iodocus.' The Latin term itself is believed to originate from the Breton name 'Iodoc,' meaning 'lord' or 'ruler.' This name was introduced into England following the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, where it evolved into various forms, including Joyce. The name was initially used as a surname before becoming popular as a given name, particularly in the medieval period.

Historically, the name Joyce has been associated with several notable figures. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name in England can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared as a surname in various legal documents.

The name gained further prominence through the literary contributions of James Joyce, an influential Irish writer of the early 20th century, whose works such as 'Ulysses' and 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man' have had a lasting impact on modern literature. Additionally, the name has been borne by various saints, including Saint Joyce, a lesser-known figure in Christian hagiography.

Culturally, the name Joyce has been imbued with a sense of nobility and strength, reflecting its etymological roots. It has been used in various literary and artistic contexts, symbolizing creativity and intellectual pursuit.

The name has also inspired numerous diminutive forms, such as Joy, which carries connotations of happiness and delight. Overall, Joyce has maintained a significant presence in both historical and cultural narratives, reflecting its rich linguistic heritage and the enduring qualities associated with its meaning.

Famous people named Joyce

In this section, you will find notable people named Joyce. 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 Joyce who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Joyce 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.

Joyce Meyer is a author and speaker best known for Battlefield of the Mind, The Confident Woman, and her television program Enjoying Everyday Life.

Joyce Carol Oates is a novelist and playwright best known for Them, We Were the Mulvaneys, and Blonde.

Joyce Kilmer is a poet best known for his poem Trees and his work as a war correspondent during World War I.

Joyce Chen is a chef and restaurateur best known for popularizing Chinese cuisine in America and her television cooking show.

Joyce Brothers is a psychologist and television personality best known for her advice column and appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Fictional characters named Joyce

The following list of fictional characters named Joyce 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.

Joyce Byers is a fictional character from the TV series Stranger Things. She is a determined mother searching for her missing son and uncovering supernatural mysteries in the town of Hawkins.

Joyce Summers is a fictional character from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She is the supportive mother of the main character, Buffy, and plays a crucial role in her daughter's battle against evil.

Sibling suggestions

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

JoyJadeJasmineJulietJessicaJordan

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Joyce. 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.

JoyJocelynJodieJosieJasmineJanelleJennaJulia

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Joyce was first seen in the United States in 1882.

Joyce has ranked as high as #31 nationally, which occurred in 1942, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Texas.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Joyce 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 Joyce 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 Joyce.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 233 7 226
2024 252 11 241
2023 243 6 237
2022 269 0 269
2021 280 6 274
2020 266 5 261
2019 294 7 287
2018 284 0 284
2017 331 6 325
2016 390 5 385
2015 340 8 332
2014 360 7 353
2013 333 5 328
2012 304 6 298
2011 264 0 264
2010 303 0 303
2009 287 0 287
2008 318 0 318
2007 347 5 342
2006 325 0 325
2005 324 0 324
2004 351 6 345
2003 345 0 345
2002 358 0 358
2001 370 0 370
2000 367 5 362
1999 337 0 337
1998 332 0 332
1997 331 0 331
1996 350 7 343
1995 377 5 372
1994 373 0 373
1993 429 6 423
1992 441 0 441
1991 446 0 446
1990 517 5 512
1989 500 11 489
1988 475 0 475
1987 569 8 561
1986 551 14 537
1985 542 5 537
1984 593 0 593
1983 635 0 635
1982 663 0 663
1981 694 7 687
1980 739 8 731
1979 737 0 737
1978 776 0 776
1977 853 7 846
1976 947 0 947
1975 1,126 0 1,126
1974 1,263 0 1,263
1973 1,233 7 1,226
1972 1,357 9 1,348
1971 1,707 14 1,693
1970 2,043 13 2,030
1969 2,239 12 2,227
1968 2,513 17 2,496
1967 2,960 15 2,945
1966 3,409 10 3,399
1965 4,142 14 4,128
1964 4,873 14 4,859
1963 5,241 19 5,222
1962 6,123 27 6,096
1961 7,020 24 6,996
1960 7,783 26 7,757
1959 8,551 31 8,520
1958 9,061 27 9,034
1957 10,190 35 10,155
1956 11,121 30 11,091
1955 11,313 26 11,287
1954 12,120 32 12,088
1953 12,823 27 12,796
1952 13,162 36 13,126
1951 13,505 33 13,472
1950 13,443 28 13,415
1949 13,610 38 13,572
1948 14,415 35 14,380
1947 15,961 46 15,915
1946 15,265 56 15,209
1945 13,996 46 13,950
1944 14,834 64 14,770
1943 16,566 81 16,485
1942 16,807 79 16,728
1941 15,750 66 15,684
1940 14,884 83 14,801
1939 13,456 62 13,394
1938 12,770 72 12,698
1937 11,894 86 11,808
1936 12,060 72 11,988
1935 11,454 86 11,368
1934 11,528 69 11,459
1933 11,250 59 11,191
1932 11,453 91 11,362
1931 10,664 84 10,580
1930 9,734 76 9,658
1929 8,672 76 8,596
1928 7,311 67 7,244
1927 6,762 78 6,684
1926 5,758 54 5,704
1925 4,407 43 4,364
1924 3,584 51 3,533
1923 2,709 39 2,670
1922 2,056 40 2,016
1921 1,893 53 1,840
1920 1,585 62 1,523
1919 1,301 46 1,255
1918 1,307 46 1,261
1917 1,061 44 1,017
1916 782 36 746
1915 677 37 640
1914 474 18 456
1913 284 11 273
1912 236 14 222
1911 143 7 136
1910 135 0 135
1909 96 0 96
1908 110 5 105
1907 86 6 80
1906 77 0 77
1905 86 7 79
1904 56 0 56
1903 73 0 73
1902 69 0 69
1901 43 0 43
1900 64 5 59
1899 45 0 45
1898 40 0 40
1897 27 0 27
1896 37 0 37
1895 29 0 29
1894 22 0 22
1893 20 0 20
1892 14 0 14
1891 17 0 17
1890 17 0 17
1889 12 0 12
1888 11 0 11
1887 7 0 7
1885 7 0 7
1883 6 0 6
1882 7 0 7

Top States for Joyce (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 35
18%
NY 25
13%
TX 24
13%
FL 17
9%
IN 10
5%
PA 9
5%
WA 8
4%
KY 7
4%
NC 6
3%
GA 6
3%
AZ 6
3%
MA 6
3%
UT 6
3%
CO 5
3%
OH 5
3%
IL 5
3%
OR 5
3%
MD 5
3%