Joey
Joey is a unisex given name or nickname, more commonly used for males. It can be a diminutive of names that begin with J, most commonly Joseph, Joshua, Joe, Josephine and Johanna.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Joey
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Joey is a unisex given name or nickname, more commonly used for males. It can be a diminutive of names that begin with J, most commonly Joseph, Joshua, Joe, Josephine and Johanna.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Joey
As a girl name
Joey first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1918, with 7 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1974: 232 births, good for #657 nationwide. About 25% of every Joey on record arrived during the 1970s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Joey ranks #1,356 for girls with 167 births, gradually rising (+9%). All told, over 8K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Joey as a boy name dates back to 1915, when 6 babies received it. 1962 was its biggest year on record, with 1,529 newborns named Joey — #200 in the national rankings. About 23% of every Joey on record arrived during the 1960s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Joey ranks #890 for boys with 267 births, gradually falling (-8%). All told, over 54K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Joey
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Joey. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Joey
Phonetically similar names — useful when Joey is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Joey
What does the name Joey mean?
What is the origin of the name Joey?
How popular is Joey in 2026?
When was Joey most popular?
In which U.S. states is Joey most popular?
Is Joey a unisex name?
What names go well with Joey?
What are nicknames or variants of Joey?
About the name Joey
Joey is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 54K births in the dataset. Joey's peak popularity came in 1962 when it ranked #194. Use the chart and map above to compare Joey's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1962 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.