Doyce, an uncommon yet distinctive given name of Anglo-Saxon origin, is derived from the Old Norse word 'dogg' which means 'warrior'. It's a unisex name but has been more commonly used for males in historical contexts. The name was popularized by Anthony Trollope's novel 'The Way We Live Now', where Doyce appears as one of the characters. Spelling variants include Doezie, Doisy, and Doice.
The name Doyce experienced a notable peak in popularity around the mid-1930s, with 12 births each in both 1935 and 1936. Before this period, the number of births fluctuated between 5 to 10 annually from 1914 onwards. After the peak, the popularity declined gradually until the 1940s, with an average of about 7 births per year. Overall, there were a total of 172 births recorded under this name over the given period.