Joey

Joey - A very unique male name

Joey appeared on the charts for the first time in 1931 on position #1680. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Joey and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Joey? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Joey. The baby boy name Joey was given to 212 baby boys in 2025, ranking #914 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 6,916 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Joey peaked in popularity 50 years ago in 1976 on position 190.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Joey, 1-5?

Joey is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Joey is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #496 - and is the least popular in Michigan at position #1,184.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Joey is where you live.

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Joey origin and meaning

English — diminutive of Joseph

Pet form of Joseph, from Hebrew Yosef, 'he will add (another son)'

Joey is the boyish pet form of Joseph that has lived a double life as a registered name since 1931 — peaking in 1962, when a classroom might hold several. It dipped for decades and is now gently rising again as nickname names are given outright. Friends fixed this spelling in the public mind for a generation.

Attested etymology

Joey is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Joey, pop culture references for the name Joey and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Joey

We've found the following names that sound similar to Joey, sorted by popularity.

Joshua / Jack / Jose / Joe / Jesse / Jesus / Jay / Josiah / Jake / Jessie /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Joey

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Joey a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Joey?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

JOH-ee · /ˈdʒoʊiː/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Joie — A French-flavoured spelling sometimes used

Nicknames: Jo

Famous bearers

• Joey Fatone — American singer and TV host, born Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. and known as Joey Fatone of *NSYNC (b. 1977) Contemporary
• Joey Tribbiani — Aspiring actor in the TV sitcom Friends (Fictional, 1994) Fictional

Style

Nickname nameClassic

Why parents choose it

Parents choose it for its friendly, unpretentious bounce — Joseph's history with the formality removed.

Worth knowing

• Some will always read Joey as a nickname and ask for the 'full' name.