Joy
Boy name · #3959 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Joy? In official American birth records, Joy has been tracked continuously since 1883, giving it 142 years of documented American history.
Joy ranks #3959 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 27 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #6676, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 66,667 boys born in 2025 was named Joy.
Babies named Joy per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 142-year story
Joy first appears in the Social Security records in 1883, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1922, when 66 boys were named Joy — good for #840 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Joy against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Joy in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Joy is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Joy will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Joy is most common
State-level data for Joy is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Joy
Statistically, parents drawn to Joy tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Leeroy, Coy, Olen, Hardy, and Mose.
LeeroyCoyOlenHardyMoseEnosRupertSanto
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Joy | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | #3949 |
| 2024 | 20 | #4890 |
| 2023 | 15 | #5927 |
| 2022 | 20 | #4850 |
| 2021 | 13 | #6335 |
| 2020 | 18 | #5041 |
| 2019 | 14 | #6104 |
| 2018 | 11 | #7136 |
| 2017 | 17 | #5297 |
| 2016 | 10 | #7605 |
| 2015 | 12 | #6676 |
| 2014 | 23 | #4263 |
| 2013 | 14 | #5923 |
| 2012 | 11 | #7050 |
| 2011 | 10 | #7502 |
| 2010 | 17 | #5251 |
| 2009 | 10 | #7692 |
| 2008 | 8 | #9019 |
| 2007 | 11 | #7094 |
| 2006 | 9 | #7998 |
| 2005 | 9 | #7640 |
| 2004 | 6 | #9948 |
| 2003 | 12 | #5877 |
| 2002 | 10 | #6522 |
| 2001 | 7 | #8339 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Joy?
In official American birth records, the name Joy first appeared in 1883 (over 142 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Joy a popular boy name?
Joy ranked #3959 among boys in 2025 with 27 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6676.
When was the name Joy most popular?
Joy peaked in 1922, when 66 American boys received the name (ranked #840 that year). Since 1922 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Joy?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 66,667 newborn American boys was named Joy. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.