I saw the name in the CNN documentary The Radical Story of Patty Hearst. Jolyon was, I believe, a lawyer on the case. Note that others he worked with sometimes called him “Joly” pronounced Jolly as in gregarious, happy. Not exactly ‘famous’ but it’s how I found this interesting name.
A famous bearer is British racing driver Jolyon Palmer.
― Anonymous User 4/4/2017
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My name is Jolyon and it's pronounced jol-i-on. Three syllables. It's not joe-li-on or jo-lion or joel-ian. Most people can't get this and call me Jol. Please remember this as most Jolyons get bored of saying it. Thanks for your time.
In the novel "Endymion Spring," by Matthew Skelton, Professor Jolyon Fall at Oxford University befriends one of the main characters, Blake, and his sister, Duck (not her real name of course).
To me, this is one of the most beautiful and unique names I've ever come across. I first heard it from the Forsythe Saga, and it hasn't left my mind since.
The only time I've met this name is in The Forsythe Saga by John Galsworthy. I did not know it was a form of Julian and pronounced as Julian, I thought it was pronounced as Jo-lion (like the animal). I like Jolyon but maybe others would make the same mistake as I did.