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The short answer
Joyce is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the medieval masculine name Josse, which was derived from the earlier Iudocus, which was a Latinized form of the Breton name Judoc meaning ‘lord’. The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest." It ranked #1074 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the medieval masculine name Josse, which was derived from the earlier Iudocus, which was a Latinized form of the Breton name Judoc meaning ‘lord’. The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Joyce ranked #1074 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #1074 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Joyce in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Joyce mean?
Joyce means "lord", according to Behind the Name.
Is Joyce a popular name?
Joyce ranked #1074 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Joyce a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Joyce appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine & masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Joyce — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
