Jeffery Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JEFF-ree //ˈdʒɛfəri//
Origin: English; German
Meaning: English: God's peace; German: traveler
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Jeffery is derived from the Old High German name "Gislebert," which is composed of the elements "gisil," meaning "pledge" or "hostage," and "beraht," meaning "bright" or "famous." This name evolved through various forms, including the Old French "Geoffroi," before entering the English language as "Jeffrey" or "Jeffery" in the medieval period. The transition from Old High German to Old French and then to Middle English reflects the linguistic influences of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, which brought many Old French names into English usage.
Historically, the name Jeffery gained prominence in England during the Middle Ages, with notable figures such as Geoffrey Chaucer, the renowned poet of the 14th century, contributing to its recognition. Chaucer's works, particularly "The Canterbury Tales," helped to solidify the name's place in English literature.
Additionally, the name appears in various forms in historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists individuals named Geoffrey, indicating its early adoption in England. Culturally, the name Jeffery has been associated with qualities of brightness and nobility, stemming from its etymological roots.
The name has also been linked to various saints and ecclesiastical figures throughout history, further embedding it in the cultural and religious fabric of medieval Europe. The diminutive form "Jeff" has emerged as a common variant, although it is more contemporary.
Overall, the name Jeffery carries a legacy that reflects its Germanic origins, medieval significance, and enduring cultural associations.
Famous people named Jeffery
In this section, you will find notable people named Jeffery. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Jeffery who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Jeffery who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Jeffery Deaver is an author best known for The Bone Collector, The Devil's Teardrop, and the Lincoln Rhyme series.
Jeffery Tambor is an actor best known for Arrested Development, Transparent, and The Larry Sanders Show.
Jeffery Wright is an actor best known for Westworld, Basquiat, and The Hunger Games series.
Jeffery Gitomer is a sales trainer and author best known for The Little Red Book of Selling, The Sales Bible, and Customer Satisfaction is Worthless.
Jeffery Jones is an actor best known for Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Beetlejuice, and The Devil's Advocate.
Fictional characters named Jeffery
The following list of fictional characters named Jeffery is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Jeffery is a fictional character from the animated television series The Magic School Bus. He is a classmate of the main characters who often participates in their educational adventures.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Jeffery, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Jeffery. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Jeffery was first seen in the United States in 1894.
Jeffery has ranked as high as #92 nationally, which occurred in 1962, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana.
In the past 5 years the name Jeffery has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Jeffery is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Jeffery was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Jeffery (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 17 | |
| OH | 12 | |
| GA | 12 | |
| MI | 9 | |
| CA | 7 | |
| FL | 6 | |
| SC | 6 | |
| TN | 6 | |
| LA | 5 | |
| AL | 5 | |
| NC | 5 | |
| IL | 5 | |
| IN | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Jeffery.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 150 |
| 2023 | 153 |
| 2022 | 173 |
| 2021 | 183 |
| 2020 | 215 |
| 2019 | 244 |
| 2018 | 259 |
| 2017 | 312 |
| 2016 | 314 |
| 2015 | 305 |
| 2014 | 388 |
| 2013 | 396 |
| 2012 | 373 |
| 2011 | 408 |
| 2010 | 447 |
| 2009 | 479 |
| 2008 | 533 |
| 2007 | 554 |
| 2006 | 643 |
| 2005 | 607 |
| 2004 | 623 |
| 2003 | 697 |
| 2002 | 734 |
| 2001 | 779 |
| 2000 | 837 |
| 1999 | 924 |
| 1998 | 965 |
| 1997 | 1,080 |
| 1996 | 1,119 |
| 1995 | 1,273 |
| 1994 | 1,416 |
| 1993 | 1,626 |
| 1992 | 1,824 |
| 1991 | 2,121 |
| 1990 | 2,320 |
| 1989 | 2,478 |
| 1988 | 2,584 |
| 1987 | 2,645 |
| 1986 | 2,769 |
| 1985 | 2,947 |
| 1984 | 3,025 |
| 1983 | 3,155 |
| 1982 | 3,313 |
| 1981 | 3,335 |
| 1980 | 3,324 |
| 1979 | 3,357 |
| 1978 | 3,543 |
| 1977 | 3,564 |
| 1976 | 3,564 |
| 1975 | 3,903 |
| 1974 | 4,364 |
| 1973 | 4,407 |
| 1972 | 5,063 |
| 1971 | 6,100 |
| 1970 | 6,701 |
| 1969 | 6,738 |
| 1968 | 7,223 |
| 1967 | 7,229 |
| 1966 | 7,899 |
| 1965 | 7,737 |
| 1964 | 8,360 |
| 1963 | 8,482 |
| 1962 | 9,281 |
| 1961 | 8,924 |
| 1960 | 7,656 |
| 1959 | 7,489 |
| 1958 | 6,837 |
| 1957 | 7,507 |
| 1956 | 6,571 |
| 1955 | 5,464 |
| 1954 | 3,936 |
| 1953 | 3,041 |
| 1952 | 2,186 |
| 1951 | 1,631 |
| 1950 | 1,216 |
| 1949 | 1,049 |
| 1948 | 795 |
| 1947 | 744 |
| 1946 | 552 |
| 1945 | 352 |
| 1944 | 336 |
| 1943 | 313 |
| 1942 | 281 |
| 1941 | 204 |
| 1940 | 128 |
| 1939 | 53 |
| 1938 | 40 |
| 1937 | 22 |
| 1936 | 34 |
| 1935 | 25 |
| 1934 | 27 |
| 1933 | 27 |
| 1932 | 22 |
| 1931 | 16 |
| 1930 | 29 |
| 1929 | 21 |
| 1928 | 25 |
| 1927 | 29 |
| 1926 | 23 |
| 1925 | 29 |
| 1924 | 25 |
| 1923 | 18 |
| 1922 | 23 |
| 1921 | 13 |
| 1920 | 10 |
| 1919 | 14 |
| 1918 | 15 |
| 1917 | 17 |
| 1916 | 17 |
| 1915 | 13 |
| 1914 | 16 |
| 1913 | 15 |
| 1912 | 15 |
| 1910 | 7 |
| 1909 | 8 |
| 1907 | 5 |
| 1894 | 5 |