Joy is a distinctive choice, ranked #467 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Joy in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#467
US Rank #442
About the Name Joy
Joy is steadily gaining in popularity, up 58 places over the past five years. Its best recorded rank was #449 in 1997, and it currently sits at #467. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Joy is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #442, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Joy
Unlikely. With around 88 UK babies named Joy per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Joy in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Joy is currently rising in popularity in the UK, up 58 places over the last five years to #467 in 2024. If this trend continues, it will become more common in classrooms over the next decade.
Joy is more popular in the US (#442) than in the UK (#467). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Joy include: Joy Harjo — Joy Harjo is an American poet, musician, playwright, and author.; Joy Barcoma — Joy Mayanne Felix Barcoma is a Filipino beauty queen who was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2025.; Joy Harmon — Patricia Joy Harmon or Joy Patricia Harmon is an American baker and former actress..
Joy appears in the US top 500 at #442 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
88
UK babies named Joy (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↑ 58 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Joy
Likely around 1 other Joy in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Joy
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Joy Harjo is an American poet, musician, playwright, and author. She served as the 23rd United States Poet Laureate from 2019 to 2022, the first Native American to hold that honor.
Joy Mayanne Felix Barcoma is a Filipino beauty queen who was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2025. She represented the Philippines at the Miss Earth 2025 competition and finished as a runner-up.