Boy · Germanic (via Old French) · Christian
Jeffrey
JeffreySay it JEF-ree
- Meaning today
- God's peace, pledge of peace
- Original meaning
- "from Gaufridus: Old High German 'district' + fridu 'peace'" Online Etymology Dictionary, s.v. Jeffrey; Geoffrey
- Say it
- JEF-ree
- Other spellings
- Geoffrey, Jeffery, Jeff
Jeffrey
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Jeffrey meaning
Jeffrey is a Christian boy's name of Germanic origin (via Old French).
Meaning today
God's peace, pledge of peace
Original Germanic (via Old French) meaning
"from Gaufridus: Old High German 'district' + fridu 'peace'"
Source: Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com), s.v. Jeffrey; Geoffrey · entry Jeffrey · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
Jeffrey is the English spelling of Geoffrey. The Online Etymology Dictionary traces it through Old French Jefroi and Geuffroi to Medieval Latin Gaufridus, a Germanic name whose parts are a word for a district or region (modern German Gau) and fridu, "peace". Name lists often translate it "God's peace", but that meaning belongs to the separate name Godfrey, from got, "God", and fridu; the two names have long been confused. The poet Geoffrey Chaucer carried the older spelling. Jeffrey is used by Indian Christian families, and is often shortened to Jeff.
References: Online Etymology Dictionary, Jeffrey · Online Etymology Dictionary, Geoffrey · Online Etymology Dictionary, Godfrey
Famous namesakes
- Geoffrey Chaucer, English poet (as Geoffrey)
Popularity abroad
- #552 United States, boys 2025 (down 32 from 520 in 2024)
US Social Security Administration
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Spellings
Jeffrey · Geoffrey · Jeffery · Jeff