Joceline
A feminine name with French origins meaning "small and playful".
Name Census estimates that about 1,545 living Americans carry the first name Joceline. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Joceline today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Joceline births was 1996 (117 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Joceline. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.5K
~ 1 in 221,847 Americans
Peak year
1996
117 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,213
Tracked since 1984
Popularity
Joceline: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Joceline from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 714 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Joceline by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Joceline during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jocelines live
The SSA's state-level files cover 10 states and territories. California, Texas, Illinois recorded the most babies named Joceline, while Oregon, New Jersey, North Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 98 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Joceline
The name Joceline originates from the Late Latin name Iocalina, which was derived from the Late Latin word iocus, meaning "jest" or "game." The name likely emerged in regions where Late Latin was spoken, such as parts of what is now France, Italy, and Spain, during the medieval period.
The name Joceline is believed to have been first used as a feminine name, although its masculine counterpart, Jocelin, also exists. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Joceline dates back to the 12th century, when a French noblewoman named Joceline de Courtenay lived. She was the daughter of Renaud de Courtenay and was known for her involvement in the political affairs of the time.
In the 13th century, a Benedictine nun named Joceline of Furness became known for her biographical work on the life of St. Patrick. Born in England around 1180, she wrote the "Life of St. Patrick" in Latin, which is considered one of the earliest biographical accounts of the patron saint of Ireland.
Another notable figure with the name Joceline was Joceline of Brakelond, a 12th-century English chronicler and monk. He is best known for his chronicle of the abbey of Bury St. Edmunds, which provides valuable insights into the daily life and events of the time.
In the 16th century, Joceline Percy, Countess of Northumberland, was a prominent figure in English history. Born in 1586, she played a significant role in the Northern Catholic resistance against the Protestant Reformation and was briefly imprisoned for her religious beliefs.
Moving forward to the 19th century, Joceline Weld-Forester was an English aristocrat and philanthropist. Born in 1825, she was known for her charitable work and her involvement in various social causes, particularly related to education and women's rights.
While the name Joceline has been used throughout history, it has remained relatively uncommon, particularly in recent times. Its unique origin and historical associations with notable figures make it a distinctive and intriguing name with a rich cultural heritage.
People
Joceline + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Joceline as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Joceline: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Joceline?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,545 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Joceline going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 221,847 US residents.
Is Joceline a common name?
We classify Joceline as "Rare". It ranks above 92.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,576 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Joceline most popular?
The single biggest year for Joceline was 1996, when 117 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Joceline is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Joceline a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Joceline in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.