The name Jocelyn has its origins in the late ancient world, deriving from the Late Latin name Gaucelinus. This name was a diminutive form of the Germanic name Gaucelin, which itself came from the element "gawis" meaning "region" or "district." The earliest recorded spelling was Ioscelinus in the 11th century.

In medieval France, the name took on the spelling Joscelin or Josceline. It grew in popularity thanks to several noteworthy historical figures bearing the name. One of the earliest was Joscelin of Courtenay, a prince of Edessa who lived from around 1075 to 1131 and fought in the First Crusade. Another was Joscelin III, Count of Edessa, who ruled from 1119 to 1131.

Over time, the name evolved into its modern English form of Jocelyn. One of the earliest recorded examples of this spelling was Jocelyn de Brakelonde, who lived from around 1183 to 1211 and was a chronicler of the affairs of the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England.

In the 13th century, there was Jocelyn of Wells, an English prelate who served as Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1206 to 1242. Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Jocelyn Percy, who lived from around 1311 to 1362 and was an English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War.

Jumping ahead several centuries, one of the most famous individuals named Jocelyn was the English Romantic poet Jocelyn Bell Burnell, born in 1943. As a graduate student in 1967, she co-discovered the first radio pulsars, which were initially dismissed as a routine discovery but later proved to be one of the greatest astronomical discoveries of the 20th century.

Throughout its long history, the name Jocelyn has maintained its connection to its noble and prestigious roots, though it has also been embraced more widely in modern times. Its unique sound and rich etymological background have made it a distinctive and appealing choice for parents over the centuries.