Joya

♀ Girl

Pronounced JOY-ah /ˈdʒɔɪ.ɑ/High

Meaning: Variously from Spanish joya, 'a jewel; a gem', and from French/English joy, 'great gladness'; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: A jewel; joy: Joya is Spanish/French. Lyrical, bright, and warm (said 'JOY-ah').

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Origin LowSpanish, French

MeaningVariously from Spanish joya, 'a jewel; a gem', and from French/English joy, 'great gladness'; routes layered

U.S. rank (2025)#5153 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births25 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1990

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,796

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

Joya comes variously from Spanish joya, 'a jewel; a gem', and from the English/French joy, 'great gladness' (routes layered, which we note). A lyrical, bright name (said 'JOY-ah').

In the U.S. it appears in Hispanic families. Rare, a-jewel-and-joy at the root, and bright.

Did you know? Joya means 'a jewel; a gem' in Spanish, and also echoes 'joy' — a lyrical, bright name (the routes are layered, which we note; said 'JOY-ah').

Overall data confidence 42%

References — Joya — routes layered

Variations

JoiaJojaJoy

Nicknames

Joy

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Joya…

Joy— the joy it echoes

Jaya— a sound-neighbor -aya girls' name

Maya— a fellow -aya girls' name

Laya— echoes that soft -ya sound

Adaya— shares Joya's Spanish roots

Explore names like Joya

By themeuncertain word-name spanish french

By meaningJoy Jewel / Gem

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Joya mean?

Joya is variously Spanish 'a jewel; a gem' and 'joy'; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Joya?

It's said JOY-ah /ˈdʒɔɪ.ɑ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Joya a boy or girl name?

Joya is a girl's name.

How popular is Joya?

Joya is a rare name in the U.S.