Joye
Joye was the 13985th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 6 babies. Its best year was 1932, when it ranked 771st with 77 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,383 places. More babies were named Joye in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Joy) joy · English, Old French, Latin
- Rank in 2025
- #13,985 girls, down 1,230 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 6girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 193277 babies
- Total since 1880
- 3,481babies recorded
What does the name Joye mean?
Joye is a spelling of Joy, pronounced the same way, so it shares Joy's meaning and origin.
Joy is the English word used as a name. DMNES records it as a medieval name from Old French joie, from Latin gaudia, "joy", in France as early as 1179, and Bardsley notes it as a medieval surname for a person of joyful character. Wiktionary adds that it was taken up again by English Puritans in the 17th century as a virtue name.
joie (Old French, “joy”)gaudium (Latin, “joy”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Joyce, Gioia, Joelle.
See also: English names, names that mean joy.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Joy', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources (ed. S. L. Uckelman), Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Joy', DMNES, Durham University
- Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (1901), s.v. 'Joy', Henry Frowde (public domain; Internet Archive scan)
Joye popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 8 since 1924.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,985 | 6 |
| 2020 | #12,755 | 7 |
| 2010 | #18,308 | 5 |
| 2000 | #7,780 | 13 |
| 1990 | #7,551 | 11 |
| 1980 | #3,359 | 25 |
| 1970 | #2,413 | 31 |
| 1960 | #1,389 | 63 |
| 1950 | #1,341 | 47 |
| 1940 | #994 | 52 |
| 1930 | #873 | 68 |
| 1920 | #1,726 | 24 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Joye, counting every spelling?
Joye is a spelling of Joy, a name family that ranked #411 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #13,985 for Joye on its own. Together these spellings went to 801 girls in 2025.
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 Joye?
6 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Joye (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Joye 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 1,368 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Joye.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Joye?
About 2,000 people born in the US named Joye are alive today, with a median age of 66; half are between 52 and 76. That makes Joye a name most people associate with older generations.
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.
Joye by state
How common Joye was among girls born in each state in 1930–1934, around its peak. It is notably more common than nationally in Oklahoma (5.2×), Texas (3.5×). In 46 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Joye: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Joye, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Joye
What does Joye mean?
Joye is a spelling of Joy, which means “joy” (English, Old French, Latin origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Joye?
Joye was the 13985th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 6 babies. Its best year was 1932, when it ranked 771st with 77 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,383 places. More babies were named Joye in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Is Joye a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Joye in the US.
Where was Joye most popular?
In 1930–1934, Joye was most common in Oklahoma (0.32 per 1,000 girls), followed by Texas and Arkansas.