Joy
Joy is a girls' name of Latin origin meaning “great happiness and delight.” It ranked #419 in the United States in 2025. From the Old French joie, itself from the Latin gaudium (joy).
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how do you pronounce Joy?
JOY
where does the name Joy come from?
From the common noun joy; it is a common unisex name, with Joyce as a frequent variant.
A Puritan virtue name used since the 17th century, it also gained modern attention through the Pixar film Inside Out (2015), where Joy is the lead emotion character.
how popular is this name?
Joy has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 141 years since 1885. It peaked at #109 in 1974, and ranked #419 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #419 |
| 2024 | #440 |
| 2023 | #450 |
| 2022 | #461 |
| 2021 | #407 |
| 2020 | #395 |
| 2019 | #343 |
| 2018 | #353 |
| 2017 | #335 |
| 2016 | #352 |
| 2010 | #477 |
| 2000 | #457 |
| 1990 | #375 |
| 1980 | #165 |
| 1974 | #109 |
| 1970 | #184 |
| 1960 | #152 |
| 1950 | #159 |
| 1940 | #160 |
| 1930 | #163 |
| 1920 | #336 |
| 1910 | #604 |
| 1900 | #688 |
| 1890 | #872 |
| 1885 | #745 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Joy fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Joy
The Puritans first used it as a given name in the 17th century.
who are famous people named Joy?
- Joy Behar (TV host)
- Joy Division (band)
- Joy (Inside Out character)
what are the nicknames and variants of Joy?
Variants around the world
what names are similar to Joy?
what names go well with Joy?
Sibling names that share Joy's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Joy
What does the name Joy mean?
Joy means “great happiness and delight”.
What is the origin of the name Joy?
Joy comes from the Latin naming tradition. Related forms include Joyce.
How popular is the name Joy?
Joy ranked #419 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 1974, at #109, and it has spent 141 years in the top 1,000 since 1885.
Is Joy a boy or girl name?
Joy is primarily a girls' name.
How do you pronounce Joy?
Joy is pronounced JOY, with 1 syllable.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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