Jocelyn

Jocelyn was brought to England by way of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. The name finds its roots in an Old French masculine personal name, Joscelin. Joscelin was essentially the French way of saying Gautzelin – the name ascribed to the people of an ancient Germanic tribe who dwelled in southern Sweden and Northern Europe. They originated from what is still the Swedish province of Götaland, and the Gauts/Geats (as they are also known) are the same folks who populate the pages of “Beowulf”, a heroic epic poem written in Olde English (considered one of the most vital pieces of Anglo-Saxon literature, and certainly the oldest surviving). The etymology of the word Gaut/Geat is derived from the Old Germanic “geutan” (Gautar in Old Norse) meaning “to pour, flowing water” (apropos since water was essential to the survival of these ancient Scandinavian tribes). Joscelin, and later Jocelyn, were quite common masculine names during the Middle Ages. The application shift to females did not happen until hundreds of years later in the 20th century. Today the name is considered almost exclusively female and is a Top 100 choice for American baby girls.