How to say it
JOC · e · lyn
ˈdʒɒs.lɪn
Feminine
Jocelyn
Member of the Gauts
What it means
Germanic, from a tribal name (the Gauts), arriving through the Old French Josce; once male, now feminine.
Jocelyn began as a Germanic name tied to the Gauts, an ancient tribe, and came into England through the Norman Old French Josce. For centuries it was a man's name; over time it crossed firmly to the feminine side. It reads soft and a little vintage, with the shorts Joss, Joce, and Lyn. Joslyn and Jocelyne are the variant spellings.
How to spell Jocelyn
The standard spelling is Jocelyn. Common variants include Joscelin, Jocelyne, Joslyn, but Jocelyn is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #50 in 2007, currently #393 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Joss and Joce are the shorts.
- Spelling
Began as a male name; Joslyn is the streamlined variant.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Jocelyn Bell Burnell astrophysicist who discovered the first radio pulsars
Spelling variants
- Joscelin
- Jocelyne
- Joslyn
Names with the same feeling
Common questions
- What does the name Jocelyn mean?
- Germanic, from a tribal name (the Gauts), arriving through the Old French Josce; once male, now feminine.
- What does Jocelyn mean in Germanic?
- In Germanic, Jocelyn means "Member of the Gauts." Jocelyn began as a Germanic name tied to the Gauts, an ancient tribe, and came into England through the Norman Old French Josce. For centuries it was a man's name; over time it crossed firmly to the feminine side. It reads soft and a little vintage, with the shorts Joss, Joce, and Lyn. Joslyn and Jocelyne are the variant spellings.
- How do you pronounce Jocelyn?
- Jocelyn is pronounced ˈdʒɒs.lɪn. Say it as JOC-e-lyn, with the stress on the "joc" syllable.
- How do you spell Jocelyn?
- The standard spelling is Jocelyn. Common spelling variants include Joscelin, Jocelyne, Joslyn.
- Is Jocelyn a boy or girl name?
- Jocelyn is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Jocelyn?
- Jocelyn ranked #393 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.