UK girl's name
Josslyn
Feminine name of uncertain origin, perhaps a contracted form of Joseph or Jocelyn.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Josslyn is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Josslyn popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4709, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 6 births.
This profile covers 28 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2005 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 28 living people in the UK are called Josslyn. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Josslyn ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 6 girls were registered as Josslyn.
- • About 28 living people in the UK are estimated to have Josslyn as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4709
2023
Births in 2023
4
Latest year
Peak year
2005
6 births
Estimated living
28
2026
Meaning
What does Josslyn mean?
The name Josslyn is an English variant of the French name Jocelyn, which is derived from the medieval diminutive form of the name Joscelin. The name Joscelin itself is believed to have originated from the Germanic name Gautselinus, which was composed of the elements "gaut" (meaning "Goth" or "Geat") and "selin" (meaning "hall" or "bright").
The name Joscelin first appeared in historical records in the 11th century, during the period of the Norman Conquest of England. It was introduced to England by Norman settlers and quickly gained popularity among the nobility and upper classes. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Joscelin de Louvain, a Norman nobleman who was appointed Bishop of Soissons in France in the late 11th century.
In the 12th century, the name Joscelin appeared in various literary works, including the writings of the medieval poet and chronicler Wace. One notable bearer of the name from this period was Joscelin III, Count of Edessa, who played a key role in the Crusades and was known for his military exploits in the Holy Land.
Over the centuries, the name Josslyn (and its variants) has been borne by several notable individuals, including:
1. Josslyn Hay, 22nd Earl of Erroll (c. 1516-1594), a Scottish nobleman and Lord High Constable of Scotland. 2. Jocelyn Percy (1784-1856), an English naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. 3. Jocelyn Brooke (1908-1966), an English novelist and travel writer, best known for his works "The Military Philosophers" and "The Scapegoat." 4. Jocelyn Bell Burnell (born 1943), an Irish astrophysicist who co-discovered the first radio pulsars, a significant breakthrough in the study of neutron stars. 5. Jocelyn Broderick (born 1973), a Filipino-American actress and model, known for her roles in films like "The Great Raid" and "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor."
While the name Josslyn has its roots in medieval Europe, it has evolved over time and gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. Today, it is a unisex name, though it is more commonly used for girls.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Josslyn over time
The chart below shows babies named Josslyn registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Josslyn, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2023, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Josslyn by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Josslyn was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4709 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5453 | 13 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3259 | 11 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Josslyn
- Jessica 105,041
- Jasmine 35,227
- Jade 19,646
- Julia 11,780
- Jennifer 11,529
- Jodie 9,357
- Jemima 6,454
- Josephine 5,889
- Jessie 5,418
- Josie 5,284
- Jasmin 4,706
- Jenna 4,646
FAQ
Josslyn: questions and answers
How popular is the name Josslyn in the UK right now?
In 2023, Josslyn was ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Josslyn most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 6 babies registered as Josslyn in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Josslyn?
Feminine name of uncertain origin, perhaps a contracted form of Joseph or Jocelyn.
How many people are called Josslyn in the UK?
A total of 28 babies have been registered as Josslyn across the 7 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.