Joyce
Medieval (Middle English) given name from Old French Josse, name of a seventh century saint Latinized as Iodocus, from Breton Iodoc, diminutive of iudh (“lord”), from…
Every Joyce since 1882 — 512,232 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Joyce
Joyce is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,074 in 2025 with 226 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 512,232 American babies have been named Joyce. Its peak came in 1942, when 16,807 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Joyce stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Joyce year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 226 | #1,074 | 7 | #10,164 |
| 2024 | 241 | #1,042 | 11 | #7,493 |
| 2023 | 237 | #1,057 | 6 | #11,495 |
| 2022 | 269 | #984 | — | — |
| 2021 | 274 | #954 | 6 | #11,402 |
| 2020 | 261 | #977 | 5 | #13,009 |
| 2019 | 287 | #925 | 7 | #10,257 |
| 2018 | 284 | #940 | — | — |
| 2017 | 325 | #836 | 6 | #11,448 |
| 2016 | 385 | #738 | 5 | #13,173 |
| 2015 | 332 | #844 | 8 | #9,143 |
| 2014 | 353 | #796 | 7 | #10,158 |
| 2013 | 328 | #820 | 5 | #13,054 |
| 2012 | 298 | #890 | 6 | #11,495 |
| 2011 | 264 | #972 | — | — |
| 2010 | 303 | #877 | — | — |
| 2009 | 287 | #932 | — | — |
| 2008 | 318 | #876 | — | — |
| 2007 | 342 | #838 | 5 | #13,346 |
| 2006 | 325 | #831 | — | — |
| 2005 | 324 | #799 | — | — |
| 2004 | 345 | #758 | 6 | #10,633 |
| 2003 | 345 | #741 | — | — |
| 2002 | 358 | #700 | — | — |
| 2001 | 370 | #675 | — | — |
| 2000 | 362 | #668 | 5 | #11,257 |
| 1995 | 372 | #605 | 5 | #9,548 |
| 1990 | 512 | #479 | 5 | #8,779 |
| 1985 | 537 | #416 | 5 | #7,054 |
| 1980 | 731 | #330 | 8 | #4,720 |
| 1975 | 1,126 | #219 | — | — |
| 1970 | 2,030 | #164 | 13 | #2,679 |
| 1965 | 4,128 | #90 | 14 | #2,220 |
| 1960 | 7,757 | #58 | 26 | #1,605 |
| 1955 | 11,287 | #29 | 26 | #1,521 |
| 1950 | 13,415 | #27 | 28 | #1,379 |
| 1945 | 13,950 | #18 | 46 | #957 |
| 1940 | 14,801 | #13 | 83 | #669 |
| 1935 | 11,368 | #12 | 86 | #634 |
| 1930 | 9,658 | #18 | 76 | #727 |
| 1925 | 4,364 | #59 | 43 | #1,061 |
| 1920 | 1,523 | #153 | 62 | #870 |
| 1915 | 640 | #238 | 37 | #1,061 |
| 1910 | 135 | #338 | — | — |
| 1905 | 79 | #382 | 7 | #1,037 |
| 1900 | 59 | #435 | 5 | #1,410 |
| 1895 | 29 | #553 | — | — |
| 1890 | 17 | #657 | — | — |
| 1885 | 7 | #875 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Joyce
- Joyce Carol Oates Writer · b. 1938
- Joyce Meyer Writer · b. 1943
- Joyce Banda Politician · b. 1950
- Joyce Van Patten Actor · b. 1934
- Joyce Cary Writer · 1888–1957
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Joyce mean?
Medieval (Middle English) given name from Old French Josse, name of a seventh century saint Latinized as Iodocus, from Breton Iodoc, diminutive of iudh (“lord”), from Proto-Celtic *yowdos.
How popular is the name Joyce in 2025?
Joyce ranked #1,074 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 226 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Joyce?
512,232 babies have been named Joyce in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Joyce most popular?
Joyce peaked in 1942, when 16,807 newborns received the name.
Is Joyce a boy or girl name?
Joyce is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Joyce rising or falling?
Joyce is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Joyce?
Well-known people named Joyce include Joyce Carol Oates (writer), Joyce Meyer (writer), Joyce Banda (politician).