Skip to main content

Updated August 7, 2024

Table of contents

Girl name origins & meanings

  • Old German: Member of the Gauts tribe
  • Hebrew: Happy; Joyful

What Does Jocelyn Mean and Stand For? 

The name Jocelyn has roots in Old German and Hebrew, meaning "member of the Gauts tribe" and "joyful," respectively. Its variations include Joslyn, Joslin, Jocelyne. 

 

Syllables: 2

How Popular Is The Name Jocelyn

Family name origins & meanings

  • English : variant spelling of Joslin.

Famous people who gave their babies this name

What Does the Name Jocelyn Mean? 

Jocelyn is a girls' name of Old German origin, meaning "member of the Gauts tribe." The Gauts were a North Germanic tribe who lived in Götaland (now southern Sweden) from antiquity until the Middle Ages. 

Jocelyn also has Hebrew roots, meaning "happy" and "joyful". 

How Popular is the Name Jocelyn?

Jocelyn is the #292 most popular girls' name in the U.S., according to 2021 Social Security Administration data. It was a popular name in the early-2000s, reaching a peak of #50 in 2007 before falling again on the charts. However, Jocelyn ranks #25 on FamilyEducation.com. 

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Jocelyn was at its peak popularity in June 2018. 

Popularity of the Name Jocelyn in the United States

Jocelyn was searched for most often in the following states: 

  • Hawaii
  • District of Columbia
  • Massachusetts
  • New Jersey 

Famous People Named Jocelyn and Jocelyn in Pop Culture 

Famous Jocelyn's include R&B singer Jocelyn Brown, Nobel Prize winning Astrophysicist Jocelyn Burnell, English singer-songwriter Jocelyn Stone, and tennis player Jocelyn Rae. 

The name Jocelyn features in the TV series Grimm, Broadchurch, and The Paradise. 

Pairs Well with These Middle Names

Appears on 

People Who Like the Name Jocelyn Also Like

Join the Family

Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.

Subscribe