Gender Feminine & Masculine
Usage English
Pronounced Pron. JOIS  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

From the medieval masculine name Josse, which was derived from the earlier Iudocus, which was a Latinized form of the Breton name Judoc meaning "lord". The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 14th century, but was later revived as a feminine name, perhaps because of similarity to the Middle English word joise "to rejoice". This given name also became a surname, as in the case of the Irish novelist James Joyce (1882-1941).

Related Names

VariantJoisse
Other Languages & CulturesJudoc, Jodoc(Breton) Jodocus, Joost, Judocus, Joos(Dutch) Josse(French) Jost(German) Iodocus, Iudocus, Jodocus, Judoc, Judocus(Medieval Breton) Jocosa(Medieval English) Josse(Medieval French) Jošt(Slovene)
Surname DescendantJoyce(English)

Popularity

People think this name is

classic   mature   natural   wholesome   refined   simple   serious  

Categories

Entry updated January 21, 2022