gender neutral
Joy
happiness, gladness
About Joy
Joy captures pure emotion in its simplest, most distilled form—three letters containing boundless happiness and light. This name functions as both a word and a name, creating immediate positive associations that benefit its bearer throughout life. The straightforward nature of Joy eliminates any possibility of mispronunciation or misspelling, offering practical advantages alongside its beautiful sentiment. Its single syllable provides a clean, crisp sound that's refreshingly direct in a world of increasingly elaborate names. Joy pairs exceptionally well with longer middle and last names, creating rhythmic balance in the complete name combination. The name's virtue-based foundation connects to a rich tradition of meaningful naming while feeling completely contemporary and relevant. Joy works across all ages, never seeming too childish or overly mature, maintaining appropriateness from playground to boardroom. Its universal recognition and inherently positive meaning transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries, making it accessible worldwide. Parents choosing Joy make a powerful statement about their hopes and wishes for their daughter, selecting a name that serves as a daily reminder of life's beauty and the happiness she brings to those around her.
Popularity of the Name Joy
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | #774 | ||||
| 1887 | #989 | ||||
| 1888 | #867 | ||||
| 1889 | #584 | ||||
| 1890 | #904 | ||||
| 1891 | #738 | ||||
| 1892 | #747 | ||||
| 1893 | #993 | ||||
| 1894 | #652 | ||||
| 1895 | #632 | ||||
| 1896 | #775 | ||||
| 1897 | #545 | ||||
| 1898 | #762 | ||||
| 1899 | #652 | ||||
| 1900 | #695 | ||||
| 1901 | #639 | ||||
| 1902 | #522 | ||||
| 1903 | #600 | ||||
| 1904 | #567 | ||||
| 1905 | #567 | ||||
| 1906 | #559 | ||||
| 1907 | #607 | ||||
| 1908 | #623 | ||||
| 1909 | #511 | ||||
| 1910 | #605 | ||||
| 1911 | #523 | ||||
| 1912 | #594 | ||||
| 1913 | #454 | #180 | |||
| 1914 | #429 | #138 | |||
| 1915 | #445 | #188 | |||
| 1916 | #429 | #108 | |||
| 1917 | #394 | #166 | |||
| 1918 | #377 | #99 | |||
| 1919 | #358 | #101 | |||
| 1920 | #337 | #95 | |||
| 1921 | #333 | #73 | |||
| 1922 | #309 | #67 | |||
| 1923 | #277 | #62 | |||
| 1924 | #274 | #66 | |||
| 1925 | #236 | #62 | |||
| 1926 | #210 | #43 | |||
| 1927 | #183 | #45 | |||
| 1928 | #188 | #38 | |||
| 1929 | #177 | #40 | |||
| 1930 | #163 | #44 | |||
| 1931 | #152 | #43 | |||
| 1932 | #147 | #32 | |||
| 1933 | #147 | #38 | |||
| 1934 | #152 | #48 | |||
| 1935 | #148 | #42 | |||
| 1936 | #144 | #44 | |||
| 1937 | #162 | #45 | |||
| 1938 | #159 | #39 | |||
| 1939 | #166 | #46 | |||
| 1940 | #160 | #42 | |||
| 1941 | #150 | #37 | |||
| 1942 | #154 | #43 | |||
| 1943 | #157 | #56 | |||
| 1944 | #163 | #52 | |||
| 1945 | #168 | #68 | |||
| 1946 | #170 | #50 | |||
| 1947 | #166 | #59 | |||
| 1948 | #171 | #56 | |||
| 1949 | #171 | #58 | |||
| 1950 | #159 | #64 | |||
| 1951 | #155 | #66 | |||
| 1952 | #149 | #68 | |||
| 1953 | #151 | #62 | |||
| 1954 | #151 | #81 | |||
| 1955 | #152 | #79 | |||
| 1956 | #140 | #62 | |||
| 1957 | #143 | #87 | |||
| 1958 | #147 | #83 | |||
| 1959 | #146 | #102 | |||
| 1960 | #152 | #93 | |||
| 1961 | #158 | #119 | |||
| 1962 | #169 | #135 | |||
| 1963 | #178 | #135 | |||
| 1964 | #175 | #155 | |||
| 1965 | #177 | #146 | #224 | ||
| 1966 | #165 | #207 | #298 | ||
| 1967 | #169 | #157 | |||
| 1968 | #170 | #243 | #316 | ||
| 1969 | #187 | #225 | #312 | ||
| 1970 | #184 | #214 | #487 | ||
| 1971 | #169 | #207 | #315 | ||
| 1972 | #160 | #255 | #344 | ||
| 1973 | #162 | #323 | #340 | ||
| 1974 | #109 | #239 | #230 | ||
| 1975 | #123 | #338 | #333 | ||
| 1976 | #132 | #307 | #254 | ||
| 1977 | #136 | #346 | #305 | ||
| 1978 | #139 | #326 | #297 | ||
| 1979 | #154 | #215 | #227 | ||
| 1980 | #165 | #258 | #250 | ||
| 1981 | #170 | #319 | #303 | ||
| 1982 | #203 | #239 | #185 | ||
| 1983 | #211 | #302 | #245 | ||
| 1984 | #224 | #259 | |||
| 1985 | #230 | #332 | #296 | ||
| 1986 | #249 | #255 | |||
| 1987 | #286 | #300 | |||
| 1988 | #296 | #287 | #272 | ||
| 1989 | #316 | #392 | #324 | ||
| 1990 | #375 | #310 | #289 | ||
| 1991 | #362 | #350 | #704 | ||
| 1992 | #410 | #310 | #752 | ||
| 1993 | #399 | #329 | #805 | ||
| 1994 | #428 | #276 | #593 | ||
| 1995 | #434 | #300 | #686 | ||
| 1996 | #434 | #245 | #850 | ||
| 1997 | #438 | #464 | #239 | #798 | |
| 1998 | #442 | #486 | #225 | #650 | |
| 1999 | #448 | #523 | #389 | #286 | #715 |
| 2000 | #457 | #542 | #363 | #296 | #714 |
| 2001 | #480 | #540 | #393 | #290 | #566 |
| 2002 | #477 | #637 | #381 | #299 | #534 |
| 2003 | #494 | #628 | #239 | #547 | |
| 2004 | #480 | #520 | #390 | #570 | |
| 2005 | #510 | #506 | #362 | #503 | |
| 2006 | #502 | #604 | #280 | #515 | |
| 2007 | #520 | #563 | #315 | #571 | |
| 2008 | #536 | #578 | #431 | #447 | #525 |
| 2009 | #517 | #695 | #369 | #567 | |
| 2010 | #478 | #535 | #302 | #560 | |
| 2011 | #502 | #578 | #423 | #666 | |
| 2012 | #495 | #740 | #322 | #364 | #506 |
| 2013 | #470 | #626 | #478 | #546 | |
| 2014 | #457 | #676 | #396 | #619 | #474 |
| 2015 | #430 | #602 | #800 | #550 | |
| 2016 | #352 | #581 | #288 | #492 | #327 |
| 2017 | #336 | #516 | #383 | #613 | #387 |
| 2018 | #353 | #527 | #304 | #419 | |
| 2019 | #344 | #505 | #378 | #424 | |
| 2020 | #396 | #510 | #460 | #421 | |
| 2021 | #407 | #469 | #418 | #594 | #439 |
| 2022 | #462 | #514 | #366 | #972 | #493 |
| 2023 | #451 | #458 | #414 | #569 | |
| 2024 | #440 | #464 | #788 | #437 | |
| 2025 | #419 | #515 | #636 | #382 |
Top names by country: United States · United Kingdom · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Joy
Names Similar to Joy
Nicknames for Joy
- Jo
- Joey
- Joyie
Famous People Named Joy
| Joy Mangano | American inventor and entrepreneur |
| Joy Bryant | American actress and former fashion model |
| Joy Harjo | Native American poet and musician |
| Joy Williams | American singer-songwriter |
| Joy Adamson | Conservationist and author of "Born Free" |
| Joy Mukherjee | Indian film actor and director |
| Joy Fawcett | American former professional soccer player |
| Joy Page | American actress |
| Joy Covey | American businesswoman and former Amazon.com CFO |
| Joy Enriquez | American singer-songwriter |
| Joy Davidson | American sexologist and author |
| Joy Anna Thielemans | Belgian actress and television presenter |
| Joy Smithers | Australian actress |
| Joy Villa | American singer-songwriter and political activist |
| Joy Denalane | German singer-songwriter |
| Joy Bang | American actress |
| Joy Fleming | German singer |
| Joy Fielding | Canadian novelist and actress |
| Joy Behar | American comedian, writer, and actress |
Characters Named Joy
| Joy Adams | Character in the TV show "Friday Night Lights" |
| Joy Hockstatter | Character in the TV show "Parks and Recreation" |
| Joy Lass | Character in the TV show "Joan of Arcadia" |
| Joy McNally | Character in the movie "License to Wed" |
| Joy Turner | Character in the TV show "My Name Is Earl" |
| Joy Wilton | Character in the TV show "Mad Men" |
| Joy Arden | Character in the TV show "Midsomer Murders" |
| Joy Mercer | Character in the TV show "House of Anubis" |
| Joy Keenan | Character in the TV show "Bones" |
| Joy White | Character in the movie "Raising Arizona" |
| Joy Mannan | Character in the TV show "Skins" |
| Joy Majors | Character in the TV show "Married... with Children" |
| Joy Wheeler | Character in the TV show "Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters" |
| Joy Fisher | Character in the TV show "The Cleveland Show" |
| Joy Lassiter | Character in the movie "Smokin' Aces" |
| Joy Dodson | Character in the TV show "Desperate Housewives" |
| Joy Cavanaugh | Character in the TV show "The West Wing" |
| Joy Lieberfarb | Character in the TV show "The Bold Type" |
| Joy Hines | Character in the TV show "The OA" |