Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Joss, boy or girl?

73 replies

BusterGroove · 10/12/2021 23:10

If you saw the name Joss written down would you think that person was male or female?

I’m happy for a unisex name, but not one where most people would assume boy or girl straight away (if my child is the opposite!) so I’d just like to do a quick poll!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Swirlywoo · 11/12/2021 12:12

Either. Joss Whedon, Joss Stone, Jossy Blair...

chiefcha · 11/12/2021 12:10

Girl 100%, short for Jocelyn. I had no idea it was unisex!

Original poster
BusterGroove · 11/12/2021 12:09

@Cominghome1230 do you/your DD (if she’s old enough) mind if people think she’s a boy? And is it short for anything?

OP posts:
Peaboddy · 11/12/2021 12:08

Would probably assume boy, but wouldn’t be surprised by either. It’s a lovely name OP.

Cominghome1230 · 11/12/2021 11:41

We have a Joss, she's a girl. If people haven't met her, they assume she is a boy.

HollysBush · 11/12/2021 11:20

Boy

Synchrony · 11/12/2021 11:18

Unisex. These are my thoughts when I hear it:

Girl - Joss Stone; Joss from The Greengage Summer; Joss from Trebizon. Probably short for Jocelyn but maybe Josephine if spelt Jos.

Boy - Jos Butler; also a baby I know. Might be short for Joseph or Jocelyn or Josiah.

I don't think one sex over the other. I LOVE it on either sex.

KittyBurrito · 11/12/2021 08:28

Could go either way - Jocelyn can be boy or girl can't it?

IVflytrap · 11/12/2021 07:58

I only know of one of each - Joss Whedeon (male) and Joss Stone (female), so based on that it would be 50/50 for me. Grin

I believe Jocelyn was a male name, but has crossed over to women some time in the 20th century, as did some other originally male names.

MockneyReject · 11/12/2021 02:24

I would assume it was short for Jocelyn, so girl. But wouldn't be shocked to find out boy - as with Beverley, Hilary, Jody.

Cmsadvice · 11/12/2021 00:17

To me it is a masculine sounding name but it could be used for a girl. I.immeiately think of Joss Whedon of Buffy fame but also Joss Stone pops in my head. If I didn't know the later I'd say boy.

Enough4me · 11/12/2021 00:17

Girl, nn for Jocelyn

DramaAlpaca · 11/12/2021 00:15

Boy

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 11/12/2021 00:13

Unisex

Id think it was probably an abbreviation of
Jocelyn, is also unisex, but I also know a Jos/Joshua.

SteggySawUs · 11/12/2021 00:06

I know a male where it's short for Josiah, and female where it's short for Jocelyn. So a lovely name either way!

crumpet · 11/12/2021 00:00

Chris, Alex, Charlie, Harley, there are so many unisex names. Joss/Jos is a great name. Go for it. I knew a female Joss (not sure how she spelled it) short for Jocelyn, but have seen it used lots for boys.

jb7445 · 11/12/2021 00:00

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Joolsin · 10/12/2021 23:56

Oops, the one I knew was short for Josiah

Joolsin · 10/12/2021 23:55

Boy

Labellex · 10/12/2021 23:53

Girl

christmaspombear · 10/12/2021 23:52

Boy - reminds me of Jossy's Giants he was a Joswell or Joss Ackland - a Jocelyn

MirandaBlu · 10/12/2021 23:52

I know a woman Joss short for Jocelyn and a boy Jos short for Joshua (but I think I've also seen/heard it for Joseph), so either. If I knew Joss was the full name rather than a short form, I'd probably guess male.

fancyfrogs · 10/12/2021 23:51

Boy and I wouldn't think it was short for anything.
I'd think Jocelyn was a girl.

ilovetomatoes · 10/12/2021 23:49

Boy. Joss Butler

MiniatureHotdog · 10/12/2021 23:48

*lovely, though he is quite lively too