SEARCH FOR A PERSONAL NAME Whats in a name - a survey of first names

Use * for one or more unknown letters
Use ~ before name for Soundex search
Search
Help
Search
History
Joyce (M)>

Joyce (male)

Variants:Jobst (M) Joos (M) Joost (M) Joss (M) Josse (M)
Derivative of:Iodoc (M) Iodocus (M) Jodocus (M)
Can be spelt:Joisse (M)
Feminine form:Joyce (F)
   
Source(s): The Oxford Names Companion, OUP
"Scottish Forenames" - Donald Whyte, FGH, FSG
Notes:

English. Originally a male name, now almost always female.

Whyte suggests that Joyce was probably an old Celtic personal name, originating from Old French joie, "joy, delight".

The ONC has it that Joyce is from the Breton male name Iodoc, meaning "lord" which was Latinized as Jodocus or Iodocus. From these a number of other names have been derived:

      Jobst (M) - Low German,

      Joost and Joos (M) - Dutch, and

      Joyce (M/F) - English.

 

These views are not necessarily in conflict since Breton origins are closely linked to other Celtic races.