Joyce

Joyce reaches back through the medieval name Josse to the Breton name Judoc, associated with the meaning “lord.” Its resemblance to “joy” helped shape later associations, but it did not begin simply as a Latin word meaning “joyous.” The name was historically masculine before becoming especially familiar for girls in the English-speaking world.

Poet Joyce Kilmer is a well-known male bearer, while novelist James Joyce carried the related surname. Those literary connections give the name more history than its cheerful English sound alone suggests. Joice is a spelling alternative, and Joy can be a family nickname. Joyce’s single syllable makes it a concise choice for parents considering an older family name with a warm everyday association.