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Josselyn
Pronounced JOSS-eh-lin /ˈdʒɑs.ə.lɪn/High
Meaning: From the Norman name Joscelin, originally a Germanic ethnic name for a member of the Gauts (Geats) tribeHigh
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
Josselyn is an elaborated spelling of Jocelyn, which the Normans brought to England as Joscelin, a name derived from the Germanic tribal name of the Gauts — the people also remembered as the Geats of Beowulf. For centuries it was masculine; the shift to a girl's name came in the twentieth century, encouraged by its soft sound and the fashionable -lyn ending.
Spellings multiplied as the name feminized — Jocelyn, Joselyn, Joslyn, Josselyn — with the double-s form notably used in colonial New England by the naturalist John Josselyn's family. Today Josselyn is a rare variant that gives the familiar name an antique, surname-flavored finish.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Josselyn mean?
Josselyn is a form of Jocelyn, from the Norman name Joscelin, originally a Germanic ethnic name meaning a member of the Gauts tribe.
How do you pronounce Josselyn?
It's said JOSS-eh-lin /ˈdʒɑs.ə.lɪn/ — three syllables, stress on the first.
Is Josselyn a boy or girl name?
Josselyn is used as a girl's name today, though Jocelyn was historically masculine.
How popular is Josselyn?
Josselyn is a rare spelling in the U.S.; Jocelyn is the familiar form.