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Home › Baby Names Directory › Joey

Joey

♀ Girl

Pronounced JOH-ee /ˈdʒoʊ.iː/Low

Meaning: God will increase, God will addLow

In 30 seconds: Joey is the cheerful diminutive of Joseph or Josephine, carrying the Hebrew meaning of God will increase. Used for both boys and girls, it has an irreverent, friendly energy that has made it iconic in pop culture.
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Origin LowHebrew, English
MeaningGod will increase, God will add
U.S. rank (2024)#1375 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births164 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1974
Total births (all-time)≈ 7,497

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197419182024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Joey is a diminutive of Joseph (from Hebrew Yosef meaning God will increase) or Josephine. As a standalone name it has been used for both sexes since the 20th century. It carries a carefree, friendly energy.

For girls, Joey has an appealing tomboyish quality that works as both a nickname for Josephine and a standalone given name. It fits the gender-neutral naming trend of the 21st century.

Did you know? Joey Tribbiani from Friends (1994-2004) made this one of the most recognized names in late 20th-century pop culture. But as a girl's name, Joey has been used since at least the 1970s, when naming conventions began loosening.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name: Joey

Variations

JoieJoeeJosephineJo

Nicknames

Jo

Famous Bearers

  • ★Joey Tribbiani (fictional) (fictional)
    Lovable aspiring-actor character in the sitcom Friends (1994-2004), played by Matt LeBlanc

If you like Joey…

Billie— Same gender-neutral nickname-as-name feel
Frankie— Same tomboyish friendly energy
Josie— Another Josephine nickname with same warm appeal
Josey— another English name
Renley— a fellow English choice

Explore names like Joey

By themehebrewtwo-syllablepop-culturediminutivefriendlygender-neutral
By meaningGod / Divine

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does Joey mean?

Joey means God will increase as a diminutive of Joseph or Josephine from the Hebrew Yosef.

Is Joey a girl's name?

Joey is gender-neutral and works for both boys and girls as a standalone name or nickname for Josephine.

How do you pronounce Joey?

Joey is pronounced JOH-ee with two syllables.

What are similar names to Joey?

Similar names include Jo, Billie, Frankie, and Josie.

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