Josselin

Meaning & origin

Josselin is a rare and modern variant of the more familiar Jocelyn. It first appeared on U.S. baby name records in 1992, and after gradually climbing in use, it saw its peak year in 2007. Since then, it has been in steady decline, and by 2025 its rank had fallen to 11,932, a position that reflects its very modest popularity. The name is given to only about 1 in 229,610 girls each year, making it a distinctive choice. Unlike many variant spellings that emerge from phonetic reinterpretation, Josselin likely draws directly from the medieval French form, giving it a subtle Old World feel. Though it has never been associated with any particular U.S. state, its rarity means it remains largely concentrated in areas where parents favor unconventional spellings of classic names. Its trajectory since 2007 suggests it is becoming even less common, a pattern typical of names that briefly caught on but never entered the mainstream. For parents seeking a name that is clearly linked to Jocelyn but with a different spelling, Josselin offers an understated alternative without the weight of high popularity.

Josselin is primarily a variant of Jocelyn, which itself comes from the Old French Joscelin, a diminutive of the Germanic given name Gaudo or Gaut, meaning 'Goth' or 'people'. The name was introduced to England by the Normans and became established as both a masculine and feminine name. As a modern given name, Josselin gained limited use in the late 20th century, especially in the United States, though it remains uncommon.