Jocelin
Jocelin was the 11364th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 8 babies. Its best year was 2007, when it ranked 1351st with 180 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 5,804 places. More babies were named Jocelin in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Jocelyn) Origin uncertain · Germanic, French
- Rank in 2025
- #11,364 girls, down 715 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 8girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2007180 babies
- Total since 1880
- 2,612babies recorded
What does the name Jocelin mean?
Jocelin is a spelling of Jocelyn, pronounced the same way, so it shares Jocelyn's meaning and origin.
Jocelyn began as a medieval boy's name. Wiktionary traces it to Old French Joscelin, a diminutive of Germanic names beginning with Gaut, the tribal name of the Geats or Goths, and notes it was also used as a pet form of the Breton saint's name Josse (Judoc), which DMNES gives as the source of Joyce. It survived as a surname and returned as a girl's name. Its link with José is a folk etymology.
Gaut (Germanic, “tribal name (Geats/Goths)”)Judoc (Breton, “saint's name (Josse)”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Two medieval sources (Gaut names and Josse) are both possible.
Other explanations you may read: feminine diminutive of José.
Related names: Joscelin, Joslyn, Joselyn, Joyce.
See also: Germanic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Jocelyn', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources (ed. S. L. Uckelman), Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Joyce', DMNES, Durham University
Jocelin popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,364 | 8 |
| 2020 | #10,649 | 9 |
| 2010 | #2,229 | 87 |
| 2000 | #1,907 | 89 |
| 1990 | #3,394 | 32 |
| 1980 | #5,675 | 12 |
| 1970 | #6,621 | 7 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Jocelin, counting every spelling?
Jocelin is a spelling of Jocelyn, a name family that ranked #281 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #11,364 for Jocelin on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,195 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jocelyn | 788 | #393 | 4,601 |
| Joselyn | 142 | #1,504 | 905 |
| Joslyn | 63 | #2,732 | 531 |
| Jocelynn | 85 | #2,178 | 450 |
| Joseline | 32 | #4,402 | 170 |
| Joselin | 22 | #5,630 | 161 |
| Joselynn | 15 | #7,288 | 96 |
| Josselin | 7 | #12,491 | 63 |
| Jocelyne | 11 | #9,136 | 58 |
| Jocelin | 8 | #11,364 | 38 |
| Josseline | 12 | #8,592 | 33 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Jocelin?
8 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Jocelin (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Jocelin born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1,057 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Jocelin.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Jocelin?
About 2,600 people born in the US named Jocelin are alive today, with a median age of 23; half are between 18 and 30. That makes Jocelin mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Jocelin: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Jocelin, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Jocelin
What does Jocelin mean?
The origin of Jocelyn is uncertain: two medieval sources (Gaut names and Josse) are both possible.
How popular is the name Jocelin?
Jocelin was the 11364th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 8 babies. Its best year was 2007, when it ranked 1351st with 180 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 5,804 places. More babies were named Jocelin in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Jocelin a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Jocelin in the US.