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Jolyn
Pronounced joh-LIN /dʒoʊˈlɪn/High
Meaning: A twentieth-century American blend joining Jo - the short form of Josephine and Joanna - to the ending -lyn, borrowed from Lynn. Jolene and Jolyn belong to the same wave. The exact route to this spelling is uncertain.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
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
Jolyn is a twentieth-century American blend. Jo is the familiar short form of Josephine and Joanna - Josephine from Hebrew Yosef, 'he will add,' and Joanna from Yochanan, 'God is gracious' - and the ending -lyn was borrowed from Lynn and attached to name after name in mid-century America. Jolene, Jolyn and Jolynn all belong to that wave. The precise route to this spelling is uncertain, which we note (said 'joh-LIN').
It appears only in very small numbers in the U.S. Rare, trim, and mid-century.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Jolyn mean?
Jolyn joins Jo, from Josephine or Joanna, to the -lyn ending; the blend is modern and its exact route uncertain.
How do you pronounce Jolyn?
It's said joh-LIN /dʒoʊˈlɪn/ - two syllables, stress on the last.
Is Jolyn a boy or girl name?
Jolyn is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Jolyn?
Jolyn is extremely rare in the U.S.