Dictionary

Joyce en · PROPN

Pronunciation

• /d͡ʒɔɪs/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Medieval (Middle English) given name from Old French Josse, name of a seventh century saint Latinized as Iodocus, from Breton Iodoc, diminutive of iudh (“lord”), from Proto-Celtic *yowdos.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) An English and Irish surname originating as a patronymic.
   • The vote was 213-209 along party lines. Republican members of the House Ethics Committee – Michael Guest of Mississippi, Dave Joyce of Ohio, Andrew Garbarino of New York, John Rutherford of Florida and Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota – voted present. GOP Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado also voted present but he is not on the Ethics Committee. 2023 June 21, Haley Talbot and Kristin Wilson, “House votes to censure Democratic congressman who led Trump investigations”, in CNN:
2. (countable, uncountable) A female given name from the Celtic languages, associated by folk etymology with joy and rejoice.
   • You call me mother, and I remember my mother again, somewhere in greater Boston, dying. I remember we named you Joyce so we could call you Joy. 1959, Anne Sexton, The Double Image:
   • "It's a curious name," remarked Captain Levison. "Joyce - Joyce! I never heard such a name. Is it a Christian name or a surname?" "She was baptised Joyce. It is not so very uncommon. Her name is Joyce Hallijohn. She has been with us several years." 1860, Mrs Henry Wood (Ellen Wood), East Lynne:
3. (countable, uncountable) An unincorporated community in Clallam County, Washington, United States, named after founder Joseph M. Joyce.

Forms

Deriveds

Burton Joyce

Relateds

Jocelyn

Translations (5)

cmn 喬伊斯 /乔伊斯 (an English and Irish patronymic surname) · ru Джойс (an English and Irish patronymic surname) · pt Joice (an English and Irish patronymic surname) · hy Ջոյս (an English and Irish patronymic surname) · ga Seoighe (an English and Irish patronymic surname)