The story behind Jocelyn
From the Middle English male given name from Old French Joscelin, German Gautzelin, diminutive of names beginning with the tribal name Gaut (“a Geat, a Goth”), the root form of which probably comes from Proto-Germanic *Gautalinþiz (from *gautaz + *linþaz); also used as a diminutive form of the Breton name Josse (= Joyce). It survived as a surname and was revived as a given name in the nineteenth century. * Jocelyn is currently popular among U.S. Hispanics, and in the Philippines, by folk etymology explained as a feminine diminutive form of José (Joseph).
Other language forms and explanations (1)
Tagalog entry
Borrowed from English Jocelyn.
Pronunciation
English; dialect unspecified: /ˈd͡ʒɒsəlɪn/
Regional pronunciation variants
- English; dialect unspecified: /ˈd͡ʒɒslɪn/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: /ˈd͡ʒoselin/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: [ˌd͡ʒoː.sɛˈlɪn̪]
- Tagalog: /ˈdjoselin/
- Tagalog: [ˌd̪joː.sɛˈlɪn̪]
Popularity
Jocelyn ranked #393 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Jocelyn
Jasumin
Borrowed from English Jasmine. The kanji spelling is an example of jukujikun (熟(じゅく)字(じ)訓(くん)).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Jefferson
Unadapted borrowing from English Jefferson. Borrowed from English Jefferson.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Jocelin
A female given name from the Germanic languages, of modern usage, variant of Jocelyn.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Jonathan
Borrowed from Hebrew יְהוֹנָתָן (yəhōnāṯān), יוֹנָתָן (yōnāṯān, literally “God has given”), apparently with influence from Aramaic [Term?]. Unadapted borrowing from English…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Josselyn
Borrowed from English Josselyn.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Alison
From Middle English Alisoun, from Old French Alison, brought to England by the Normans (from Anglo-Norman Alison, from Norman Alison), diminutive of Aliz, equivalent to English…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Jocelyn
Aaron
From Latin Aaron, from Ancient Greek Ἀαρών (Aarṓn), from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן (ʾAhărōn), of unknown meaning, possibly meaning “bearer of martyrs”, or perhaps also, or instead,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abby
Borrowed from English Abby in the 20th century. Borrowed from English Abby.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Ada
Short form of Germanic names beginning with adal (“noble”), such as Adelaide. Also Latinized form of Hebrew Adah. The programming language takes its name from Ada Lovelace. a…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Jocelyn
Abelard
From French Abélard, an extension of the Abel with an Germanic suffix -(h)ard. Possibly also regarded a variant of the German Eberhard "boar" + "hard", equivalent to English…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends D
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abigail
From Hebrew אֲבִיגַיִל (avigáyil, “Abigail”, literally “my Father's joy” or “fountain of joy”). a female given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abigail Borrowed from…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Adamu
Borrowed from English Adam.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends U
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length