Joke

Girl · Hebrew, through Dutch

Joke

Say it: YOH-kuh

Try it with your surname

Meaning

Dutch feminine pet form of Johanna or of Joost.

Likelythe main view, with some doubt.

Common in the Netherlands in the 1940s–60s and rarely given now.

Its wave through time

No birth counts are recorded for this name in the records loaded here: it has been given to fewer than five babies a year, or not at all, since records began.

Through the ages

The Modern Age1880 to today

Used by

Dutch

Famous bearers

Joke Smit, Dutch feminist

Names worth a look

GodelieveGirlFrom Germanic god 'god' and leof 'dear, beloved'.Middle Ages · forgotten

GrietGirlDutch and Flemish short form of Margriet, from Greek margaritēs 'pearl'.Middle Ages

LiesbethGirlDutch short form of Elisabeth, from Hebrew Elisheba 'my God is an oath'.Renaissance

HannekeGirlDutch diminutive of Johanna, from Hebrew Yohanan 'Yahweh is gracious'.Modern

MargrietGirlDutch form of Margaret, from Greek margaritēs 'pearl'.Middle Ages

LiekeGirlA modern Dutch pet name of uncertain derivation, usually taken from names ending in -lie or -lia.Modern

JacobBoyFrom Hebrew Ya'aqov. Genesis links it to aqev 'heel' (Jacob held his twin's heel), and 'supplanter' is the…Biblical · peak 1998

JackBoyA medieval English pet form of John, through Jankin; the idea that it comes from French Jacques is a common…Middle Ages · peak 1930

Where this comes from

National birth statistics of European countries source

Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.

Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.