Jeffrey Boy

Popularity: #486 · 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.

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.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 544 544 0
2024 588 588 0
2023 622 622 0
2022 681 681 0
2021 727 727 0
2020 794 794 0
2019 881 881 0
2018 1,016 1,016 0
2017 1,056 1,056 0
2016 1,173 1,173 0
2015 1,261 1,261 0
2014 1,380 1,380 0
2013 1,406 1,406 0
2012 1,513 1,508 5
2011 1,440 1,440 0
2010 1,625 1,625 0
2009 1,719 1,719 0
2008 1,998 1,998 0
2007 2,131 2,131 0
2006 2,267 2,267 0
2005 2,425 2,425 0
2004 2,735 2,723 12
2003 2,890 2,885 5
2002 3,008 3,000 8
2001 3,213 3,207 6
2000 3,570 3,563 7
1999 3,825 3,815 10
1998 4,197 4,191 6
1997 4,592 4,582 10
1996 5,272 5,263 9
1995 5,743 5,731 12
1994 6,542 6,525 17
1993 7,552 7,535 17
1992 8,505 8,471 34
1991 9,922 9,894 28
1990 11,020 10,980 40
1989 12,053 12,013 40
1988 12,479 12,401 78
1987 13,555 13,477 78
1986 13,742 13,651 91
1985 14,604 14,500 104
1984 14,854 14,758 96
1983 15,763 15,649 114
1982 16,128 16,030 98
1981 16,022 15,931 91
1980 16,473 16,379 94
1979 16,956 16,865 91
1978 17,088 16,989 99
1977 17,562 17,481 81
1976 17,094 17,013 81
1975 18,397 18,316 81
1974 19,416 19,320 96
1973 19,304 19,216 88
1972 21,776 21,677 99
1971 25,945 25,834 111
1970 30,280 30,139 141
1969 29,080 28,967 113
1968 28,481 28,369 112
1967 28,199 28,083 116
1966 30,286 30,200 86
1965 29,643 29,574 69
1964 30,811 30,728 83
1963 31,801 31,701 100
1962 33,615 33,537 78
1961 32,113 32,029 84
1960 28,925 28,841 84
1959 26,341 26,281 60
1958 24,283 24,223 60
1957 24,028 23,982 46
1956 23,327 23,285 42
1955 22,569 22,533 36
1954 19,086 19,052 34
1953 15,988 15,949 39
1952 12,026 12,006 20
1951 9,726 9,713 13
1950 7,666 7,644 22
1949 7,012 6,987 25
1948 5,951 5,929 22
1947 5,686 5,665 21
1946 4,139 4,125 14
1945 2,796 2,782 14
1944 2,331 2,325 6
1943 2,180 2,171 9
1942 2,060 2,055 5
1941 1,509 1,502 7
1940 799 799 0
1939 378 378 0
1938 156 156 0
1937 87 87 0
1936 69 69 0
1935 43 43 0
1934 47 47 0
1933 36 36 0
1932 37 37 0
1931 16 16 0
1930 34 34 0
1929 19 19 0
1928 36 36 0
1927 26 26 0
1926 27 27 0
1925 26 26 0
1924 31 31 0
1923 27 27 0
1922 30 30 0
1921 19 19 0
1920 22 22 0
1919 22 22 0
1918 16 16 0
1917 18 18 0
1916 21 21 0
1915 21 21 0
1914 11 11 0
1913 13 13 0
1912 12 12 0
1911 6 6 0
1910 7 7 0
1885 5 5 0

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 55
10%
FL 46
8%
TX 41
7%
NY 32
6%
PA 29
5%
GA 26
5%
NC 26
5%
OH 25
5%
NJ 24
4%
MD 19
3%
VA 16
3%
MI 16
3%
IL 16
3%
TN 16
3%
CT 13
2%
MO 13
2%
SC 12
2%
AL 12
2%
IN 11
2%
MA 10
2%
WA 10
2%
WI 10
2%
CO 10
2%
MS 9
2%
AZ 8
1%
KY 8
1%
WV 8
1%
LA 7
1%
IA 7
1%
ND 6
1%
UT 5
1%
NV 5
1%