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
#109
1974 · 2,757 births
Debut · girls
1885
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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201974peak #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 1974

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #61 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 191 girlsAKMaine: #195 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 966 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: #157 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 719 girlsNHWashington: #127 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 517 girlsWAIdaho: #133 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 475 girlsIDMontana: #137 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 507 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #66 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 259 girlsNDMinnesota: #105 for girls · 54 births · 1 in 441 girlsMNIllinois: #100 for girls · 158 births · 1 in 441 girlsILWisconsin: #90 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 404 girlsWIMichigan: #98 for girls · 120 births · 1 in 475 girlsMINew York: #128 for girls · 169 births · 1 in 610 girlsNYMassachusetts: #112 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 510 girlsMARhode Island: #100 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 406 girlsRIOregon: #157 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 725 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Joy, so not publishedNVWyoming: #75 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 225 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #121 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 438 girlsSDIowa: #100 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 411 girlsIAIndiana: #92 for girls · 81 births · 1 in 431 girlsINOhio: #91 for girls · 174 births · 1 in 403 girlsOHPennsylvania: #97 for girls · 148 births · 1 in 452 girlsPANew Jersey: #131 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 588 girlsNJConnecticut: #99 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 407 girlsCTCalifornia: #125 for girls · 229 births · 1 in 597 girlsCAUtah: #152 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 617 girlsUTColorado: #149 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 653 girlsCONebraska: #85 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 349 girlsNEMissouri: #97 for girls · 67 births · 1 in 443 girlsMOKentucky: #87 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 430 girlsKYWest Virginia: #134 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 558 girlsWVVirginia: #88 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 402 girlsVAMaryland: #90 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 386 girlsMDDelaware: #67 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 228 girlsDEArizona: #130 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 549 girlsAZNew Mexico: #125 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 456 girlsNMKansas: #97 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 389 girlsKSArkansas: #145 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 610 girlsARTennessee: #89 for girls · 66 births · 1 in 416 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #70 for girls · 106 births · 1 in 319 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #79 for girls · 54 births · 1 in 325 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #112 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 390 girlsDCOklahoma: #130 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 587 girlsOKLouisiana: #105 for girls · 54 births · 1 in 460 girlsLAMississippi: #164 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 699 girlsMSAlabama: #90 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 364 girlsALGeorgia: #100 for girls · 76 births · 1 in 434 girlsGAHawaii: #35 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 155 girlsHITexas: #151 for girls · 135 births · 1 in 707 girlsTXFlorida: #76 for girls · 129 births · 1 in 339 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Hawaii#35 · 1 in 155
  2. Alaska#61 · 1 in 191
  3. North Dakota#66 · 1 in 259
  4. Delaware#67 · 1 in 228
  5. North Carolina#70 · 1 in 319

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Hawaii#35291 in 155
Alaska#61101 in 191
North Dakota#66151 in 259
Delaware#67121 in 228
North Carolina#701061 in 319
Wyoming#7581 in 225
Florida#761291 in 339
South Carolina#79541 in 325
Nebraska#85271 in 349
Kentucky#87531 in 430
Virginia#88691 in 402
Tennessee#89661 in 416
Alabama#90621 in 364
Maryland#90481 in 386
Wisconsin#90681 in 404
Ohio#911741 in 403
Indiana#92811 in 431
Kansas#97311 in 389
Missouri#97671 in 443
Pennsylvania#971481 in 452
Michigan#981201 in 475
Connecticut#99351 in 407
Georgia#100761 in 434
Illinois#1001581 in 441
Iowa#100411 in 411
Rhode Island#100111 in 406
Louisiana#105541 in 460
Minnesota#105541 in 441
District of Columbia#112151 in 390
Massachusetts#112601 in 510
South Dakota#12191 in 438
California#1252291 in 597
New Mexico#125171 in 456
Washington#127381 in 517
New York#1281691 in 610
Arizona#130281 in 549
Oklahoma#130271 in 587
New Jersey#131641 in 588
Idaho#133111 in 475
West Virginia#134201 in 558
Montana#13781 in 507
Arkansas#145211 in 610
Colorado#149241 in 653
Texas#1511351 in 707
Utah#152191 in 617
New Hampshire#15761 in 719
Oregon#157181 in 725
Mississippi#164231 in 699
Maine#19561 in 966
Nevada———
Vermont———

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 1974

girls
#109
2,757 births · 1 in 532 girls
boys
#1,886
24 births · 1 in 65,514 boys

Top girls' names in 1974

  1. #1Jennifer63,107
  2. #2Amy29,566
  3. #3Michelle25,826
  4. #4Heather23,179
  5. #5Angela22,803
  6. #6Kimberly22,427
  7. #7Melissa22,166
  8. #8Lisa19,778
  9. #9Stephanie16,984
  10. #10Rebecca15,163
  11. #109Joy2,757

Top boys' names in 1974

  1. #1Michael67,534
  2. #2Jason54,756
  3. #3Christopher48,585
  4. #4David41,786
  5. #5James41,334
  6. #6John37,612
  7. #7Robert37,005
  8. #8Brian34,449
  9. #9Matthew27,194
  10. #10William26,980
  11. #1,886Joy24
More about 1974

girls

1,467,534 girls got a published name in 1974; 1 in 532 of them was named Joy, which outranked 98.9% of the 10,247 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.8% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joy
  1. #106Brandi2,809
  2. #107Shelly2,797
  3. #108Tracey2,758
  4. #109Joy2,757
  5. #110Christie2,705
  6. #111Suzanne2,697
  7. #112Yolanda2,632
Biggest movers since 1973
Risers
  1. ↑ 6,440Nakia#6,666 → #226
  2. ↑ 5,329Nikia#6,080 → #751
  3. ↑ 1,994Luciana#2,914 → #920
  4. ↑ 1,556Cortney#2,349 → #793
  5. ↑ 1,213Nia#1,885 → #672
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,251Contina#962 → #2,213
  2. ↓ 396Pam#990 → #1,386
  3. ↓ 376Tracee#536 → #912
  4. ↓ 364Cher#760 → #1,124
  5. ↓ 314Richard#904 → #1,218

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

boys

1,572,334 boys got a published name in 1974; 1 in 65,514 of them was named Joy, which outranked 68.6% of the 6,004 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Joy
  1. #1,832Torin25
  2. #1,832Torry25
  3. #1,832Willian25
  4. #1,886Joy24
  5. #1,886Abner24
  6. #1,886Alphonzo24
  7. #1,886Asher24
  8. #1,934Alexandre23
  9. #1,934Atiba23
  10. #1,934Benjamine23

Tied with 47 names at #1,886; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1973
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,544Rashad#4,505 → #961
  2. ↑ 844Telly#1,312 → #468
  3. ↑ 398Jabari#1,312 → #914
  4. ↑ 356Ahmad#1,123 → #767
  5. ↑ 356Toma#1,238 → #882
Fallers
  1. ↓ 383Parrish#987 → #1,370
  2. ↓ 378Fredric#957 → #1,335
  3. ↓ 346Jory#753 → #1,099
  4. ↓ 301Vidal#834 → #1,135
  5. ↓ 277Pat#847 → #1,124

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

See the top 100 for 1974 →