Jeffrey Boy

Popularity: #459 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JEFF-ree //ˈdʒɛf.ri//

Origin: Old French; Germanic

Meaning: Old French: 'peaceful pledge'; Germanic: 'divine peace'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Jeffrey has its roots in the Old French name "Geoffroi," which itself is derived from the Germanic elements "gāiz" meaning "gift" and "frid" meaning "peace." The name entered the English language after the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, where it was adapted into various forms, including "Geoffrey" and later "Jeffrey." Over time, the spelling evolved, and by the Middle Ages, the name was commonly used in England, often associated with nobility and landowners. One of the notable historical figures bearing this name was Geoffrey of Monmouth, a 12th-century cleric and historian who is best known for his work "Historia Regum Britanniae," which chronicles the history of Britain and includes the legendary tales of King Arthur.

His writings significantly influenced the development of Arthurian legend and contributed to the cultural landscape of medieval England. The name Jeffrey also appears in various forms in literature and historical texts throughout the centuries, further embedding it in the cultural consciousness.

Culturally, the name Jeffrey has been associated with qualities such as nobility and peace, reflecting its etymological roots. In addition to its historical significance, the name has been embraced in various forms across different cultures, often adapted to fit linguistic norms.

Diminutive forms such as "Jeff" have emerged, showcasing the name's versatility and enduring appeal. Overall, Jeffrey carries a rich historical legacy, marked by its linguistic evolution and cultural significance throughout the ages.

Famous people named Jeffrey

In this section, you will find notable people named Jeffrey. 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 Jeffrey who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Jeffrey 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.

Jeffrey Archer is a novelist and politician best known for Kane and Abel, The Clifton Chronicles, and As the Crow Flies.

Jeffrey Tambor is an actor best known for Transparent, Arrested Development, and The Larry Sanders Show.

Jeffrey Wright is an actor best known for Westworld, Basquiat, and The Hunger Games series.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan is an actor best known for The Walking Dead, Supernatural, and Watchmen.

Jeffrey Katzenberg is a film producer and entrepreneur best known for co-founding DreamWorks and serving as chairman of Walt Disney Studios.

Jeffrey Eugenides is an author best known for Middlesex, The Virgin Suicides, and The Marriage Plot.

Jeffrey Combs is an actor best known for Re-Animator, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and The Frighteners.

Jeffrey Zeldman is a web designer and author best known for his work in web standards and founding A List Apart magazine.

Jeffrey Loria is a businessman and art dealer best known for owning the Florida Marlins and the Miami Marlins.

Jeffrey R. Immelt is a business executive best known for serving as the CEO of General Electric.

Fictional characters named Jeffrey

The following list of fictional characters named Jeffrey 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.

Jeffrey is a fictional character from the film Jeffrey. He is a gay man navigating love and relationships in New York City during the AIDS crisis.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Jeffrey, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

JessicaJordanJaredJasmineJulianJocelyn

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Jeffrey. 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.

JasperJettJethroJaredJeffersonJovianJovannyJovany

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Jeffrey was first seen in the United States in 1885.

Jeffrey has ranked as high as #14 nationally, which occurred in 1962, and has been most popular in California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Jeffrey has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Jeffrey 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 Jeffrey was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Jeffrey (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
CA 55
11%
FL 46
9%
TX 41
8%
NY 32
6%
PA 29
6%
GA 26
5%
NC 26
5%
OH 25
5%
MD 19
4%
VA 16
3%
MI 16
3%
IL 16
3%
TN 16
3%
CT 13
3%
MO 13
3%

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 Jeffrey.

YearBirths
2024587
2023621
2022679
2021727
2020794
2019881
20181,015
20171,056
20161,172
20151,260
20141,379
20131,406
20121,508
20111,439
20101,625
20091,719
20081,998
20072,131
20062,267
20052,425
20042,723
20032,885
20023,000
20013,207
20003,563
19993,815
19984,190
19974,582
19965,263
19955,731
19946,525
19937,536
19928,471
19919,894
199010,980
198912,012
198812,399
198713,477
198613,650
198514,501
198414,759
198315,653
198216,031
198115,932
198016,384
197916,867
197816,993
197717,479
197617,014
197518,317
197419,322
197319,215
197221,677
197125,835
197030,142
196928,965
196828,367
196728,084
196630,199
196529,577
196430,729
196331,699
196233,536
196132,028
196028,829
195926,280
195824,223
195723,980
195623,282
195522,531
195419,051
195315,950
195212,008
19519,715
19507,643
19496,987
19485,930
19475,666
19464,125
19452,782
19442,326
19432,171
19422,055
19411,501
1940799
1939378
1938156
193787
193669
193543
193447
193336
193237
193116
193034
192919
192836
192726
192627
192526
192431
192327
192230
192119
192022
191922
191816
191718
191621
191521
191411
191313
191212
19116
19107
18855