Joy

#419 for girls in 2025, 747 births · #3,949 for boys in 2025, 27 births
Given to girls 98.2% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1974 · 2,757 births
Debut · girls
9 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
140,694
since 1885

Joy over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Joy has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201918peak #109, 1974girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#419747#3,94927
2024#440707#4,89020
2023#450683#5,92715
2022#461688#4,85020
2021#407779#6,33513
2020#395788#5,04118
2019#343918#6,10414
2018#353902#7,13611
2017#335968#5,29717
2016#352954#7,60510
2015#430734#6,67612
2014#457699#4,26323
2013#470653#5,92314
2012#495622#7,05011
2011#502585#7,50210
2010#477632#5,25117
2009#516587#7,69210
2008#535575#9,0198
2007#520604#7,09411
2006#501608#7,9989
2005#510584#7,6409
2004#479615#9,9486
2003#494583#5,87712
2002#476590#6,52210
2001#480580#8,3397
2000#457607#5,92011
1999#448596#6,5309
1998#442583#9,6315
1997#438580#4,66813
1996#434587#4,61313
1995#434593#7,7926
1994#428589#5,10911
1993#399632#4,22714
1992#409616#6,1288
1991#362710#3,46217
1990#375697#3,46717
1989#316802#3,44616
1988#295837#2,86019
1987#286862#3,73112
1986#2491,036#3,88211
1985#2301,123#3,40113
1984#2241,155#3,70111
1983#2111,191#3,23013
1982#2031,335#2,83116
1981#1701,622#3,22113
1980#1651,717#4,1349
1979#1541,821#2,15723
1978#1391,946#3,07013
1977#1362,100#2,45818
1976#1322,076#2,70915
1975#1232,306#3,42810
1974#1092,757#1,88624
1973#1621,697#2,51315
1972#1601,817#2,99111
1971#1691,826#2,97311
1970#1841,773#2,29316
1969#1871,691#1,91419
1968#1701,904#2,20014
1967#1691,885#2,13914
1966#1652,090#1,81418
1965#1771,975#3,2447
1964#1752,219#1,85019
1963#1782,181#2,04416
1962#1692,426#2,03516
1961#1582,609#1,68623
1960#1522,776#1,81220
1959#1462,880#1,97417
1958#1472,764#1,53426
1957#1432,929#2,01916
1956#1402,819#2,09115
1955#1522,389#1,90217
1954#1512,367#1,70620
1953#1512,307#2,7099
1952#1492,276#1,43028
1951#1552,012#1,97215
1950#1591,775#1,65720
1949#1711,642#1,70219
1948#1711,627#1,81717
1947#1661,815#1,91616
1946#1701,573#1,64219
1945#1681,389#1,69716
1944#1631,456#1,28227
1943#1571,610#1,30828
1942#1541,592#1,11937
1941#1501,550#1,33325
1940#1601,310#1,25129
1939#1661,259#1,27227
1938#1591,372#1,33725
1937#1621,236#93245
1936#1441,483#89347
1935#1481,349#98042
1934#1521,342#1,00741
1933#1471,291#1,02839
1932#1471,361#1,07739
1931#1521,224#88752
1930#1631,268#92852
1929#1771,138#1,02644
1928#1881,091#1,00347
1927#1831,127#84963
1926#210892#98049
1925#236772#85161
1924#273578#1,07144
1923#277540#1,12840
1922#309447#84066
1921#332392#1,01847
1920#336376#98748
1919#358322#86758
1918#377303#1,12437
1917#393256#1,01741
1916#429214#98442
1915#445190#1,08235
1914#428158#1,18824
1913#453120#1,07522
1912#59168#1,61910
1911#52263#1,5376
1910#60448#98111
1909#50954#1,2776
1908#61738—
1907#60138#1,0947
1906#55540#1,0047
1905#56438#1,0916
1904#55936#76010
1903#59630#7839
1902#51838#7949
1901#63025—
1900#68827#83610
1899#64423#1,0515
1898#75020#1,1215
1897#53730#9426
1896#75418#9826
1895#62224—
1894#64321—
1893#95510—
1892#72616#9566
1891#72714—
1890#87210—
1889#56720—
1888#83710—
1887#9377—
1886#9936—
1885#7459—
1884——
1883—#8925
1882——
1881——
1880——
First appearance
1885

The first year at least five girls were named Joy! It came in at #745, and was given to 9 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1885–1887, when fewer than 10 girls a year got the name.

Where Joy is popular in 1918

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedNHWashington: #156 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 901 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedIDMontana: #152 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 803 girlsMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #365 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,753 girlsMNIllinois: #320 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 3,444 girlsILWisconsin: #392 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,997 girlsWIMichigan: #256 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 2,443 girlsMINew York: #628 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 16,860 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedRIOregon: #165 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 897 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #229 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,291 girlsSDIowa: #214 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,467 girlsIAIndiana: #410 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 5,192 girlsINOhio: #432 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 6,814 girlsOHPennsylvania: #512 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 11,063 girlsPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #281 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,096 girlsCAUtah: #164 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 657 girlsUTColorado: #224 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,371 girlsCONebraska: #225 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,396 girlsNEMissouri: #308 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,561 girlsMOKentucky: #434 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 4,505 girlsKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedWVVirginia: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedNMKansas: #203 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,139 girlsKSArkansas: #254 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,393 girlsARTennessee: #466 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 5,142 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #518 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 6,783 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #204 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,061 girlsOKLouisiana: #296 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,883 girlsLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedMSAlabama: #484 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 5,353 girlsALGeorgia: #529 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 6,866 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedHITexas: #372 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 2,251 girlsTXFlorida: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Montana#152 · 1 in 803
  2. Washington#156 · 1 in 901
  3. Utah#164 · 1 in 657
  4. Oregon#165 · 1 in 897
  5. Kansas#203 · 1 in 1,139

Best ever in a state: #32 in Hawaii, 1977.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Montana#15281 in 803
Washington#156111 in 901
Utah#16481 in 657
Oregon#16561 in 897
Kansas#203141 in 1,139
Oklahoma#204221 in 1,061
Iowa#214151 in 1,467
Colorado#22461 in 1,371
Nebraska#22591 in 1,396
South Dakota#22951 in 1,291
Arkansas#254141 in 1,393
Michigan#256151 in 2,443
California#281111 in 2,096
Louisiana#296111 in 1,883
Missouri#308121 in 2,561
Illinois#320181 in 3,444
Minnesota#36561 in 3,753
Texas#372221 in 2,251
Wisconsin#39251 in 4,997
Indiana#41051 in 5,192
Ohio#43281 in 6,814
Kentucky#43461 in 4,505
Tennessee#46651 in 5,142
Alabama#48451 in 5,353
Pennsylvania#51291 in 11,063
North Carolina#51851 in 6,783
Georgia#52951 in 6,866
New York#62861 in 16,860
Alaska———
Arizona———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Florida———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Mississippi———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
Vermont———
Virginia———
West Virginia———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Joy
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 21 spots since 2024 (#440 → #419)
  • 24 spots since 2020 (#395 → #419)
  • 11 spots since 2015 (#430 → #419)
  • Biggest jump: 312 spots in 1894 (#955 → #643)
  • Biggest drop: 305 spots in 1890 (#567 → #872)
Rise & fade · girls
89 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1885
  • Peaked 1974 at #109 (2,757 births)
  • Births halved by 1982, 8 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 141 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 141 yrs · run 1885–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 532
  • Highest: 1 in 532 girls born in 1974 were named Joy (0.19%)
  • Latest: 1 in 2,152 girls born in 2025 (0.05%)
Era · girls
The 1950s
  • 17.4% of all girls named Joy (24,518) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s52#567 (1889)#816
1890s186#537 (1897)#723
1900s364#509 (1909)#584
1910s1,742#358 (1919)#460
1920s7,353#177 (1929)#252
1930s13,185#144 (1936)#154
1940s15,564#150 (1941)#163
1950s24,518#140 (1956)#149
1960s21,756#152 (1960)#170
1970s20,119#109 (1974)#147
1980s11,680#165 (1980)#235
1990s6,183#362 (1991)#417
2000s5,933#457 (2000)#497
2010s7,667#335 (2017)#421
2020s4,392#395 (2020)#429

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Joy in 1918

girls
#377
303 births · 1 in 3,821 girls
boys
#1,124
37 births · 1 in 27,391 boys

Top girls' names in 1918

  1. #1Mary67,365
  2. #2Helen36,148
  3. #3Dorothy32,030
  4. #4Margaret27,139
  5. #5Ruth25,535
  6. #6Mildred17,258
  7. #7Virginia16,421
  8. #8Frances16,132
  9. #9Elizabeth15,853
  10. #10Anna15,666
  11. #377Joy303

Top boys' names in 1918

  1. #1John56,558
  2. #2William45,291
  3. #3James42,115
  4. #4Robert40,619
  5. #5Charles26,921
  6. #6George26,318
  7. #7Joseph26,261
  8. #8Edward19,489
  9. #9Frank17,018
  10. #10Thomas13,910
  11. #1,124Joy37
More about 1918

girls

1,157,631 girls got a published name in 1918; 1 in 3,821 of them was named Joy, which outranked 93.2% of the 5,585 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joy
  1. #374Molly306
  2. #374Yolanda306
  3. #376Reva304
  4. #377Joy303
  5. #378Kate302
  6. #378Maurine302
  7. #380Sibyl299
Biggest movers since 1917
Risers
  1. ↑ 547Jesse#1,507 → #960
  2. ↑ 494Liberty#1,079 → #585
  3. ↑ 389Marilynn#1,337 → #948
  4. ↑ 312Margueritte#1,281 → #969
  5. ↑ 306Syble#807 → #501
Fallers
  1. ↓ 447Valentine#964 → #1,411
  2. ↓ 428Ottie#952 → #1,380
  3. ↓ 354Delora#923 → #1,277
  4. ↓ 318Georgene#896 → #1,214
  5. ↓ 299Clifford#904 → #1,203

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,013,480 boys got a published name in 1918; 1 in 27,391 of them was named Joy, which outranked 76.6% of the 4,813 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 31.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joy
  1. #1,112Luverne38
  2. #1,112Orvin38
  3. #1,112Rollo38
  4. #1,124Joy37
  5. #1,124Adolfo37
  6. #1,124Alejandro37
  7. #1,124Arno37
  8. #1,152Adrien36
  9. #1,152Arlington36
  10. #1,152Audie36

Tied with 27 names at #1,124; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1917
Risers
  1. ↑ 600Quinton#1,092 → #492
  2. ↑ 542Pershing#876 → #334
  3. ↑ 480Quentin#723 → #243
  4. ↑ 440Issac#1,264 → #824
  5. ↑ 339Furman#1,092 → #753
Fallers
  1. ↓ 473Bernhard#900 → #1,373
  2. ↓ 424Edson#919 → #1,343
  3. ↓ 394Gasper#919 → #1,313
  4. ↓ 352Berton#934 → #1,286
  5. ↓ 346Ishmael#997 → #1,343

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1918 →