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Jeffery

♂ Boy

Pronounced JEF-er-ee /ˈdʒɛf.ər.iː/Low

Meaning: Pledged peace, peaceful pledgeLow

In 30 seconds: Jeffery is a variant spelling of Jeffrey, from the Old High German Godfrey or the Germanic Gauffrid, meaning pledged peace or divine peace. A classic American name associated with the Baby Boomer generation.
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Origin LowGermanic, French
MeaningPledged peace, peaceful pledge
U.S. rank (2024)#1302 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births150 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1962
Total births (all-time)≈ 230,434

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196218942024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Jeffery is a variant spelling of Jeffrey, from the Germanic Gauffrid combining gawia (pledge) and frid (peace), meaning pledged peace. The name was brought to England by the Normans as Geoffrey and became Jeffrey in English.

Jeffery is the older or less common spelling of Jeffrey. Both were popular US boy names from the 1950s through 1970s and now carry a warm retro quality.

Did you know? Jeffrey Dahmer's notoriety aside, the name Jeffrey was carried by thousands of unremarkably decent people born in the 1950s-1970s. The name means pledged peace — a genuinely beautiful aspiration that the name carries in its silent majority of bearers.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name: Jeffrey

Variations

JeffreyGeoffGeoffreyJeffree

Nicknames

Jeff

Famous Bearers

  • ★Jeffery Deaver (1950-present)
    American crime and mystery novelist, author of the Lincoln Rhyme series including The Bone Collector

If you like Jeffery…

Geoffrey— Norman form of same name
Gerald— Germanic name of same generation
Jerome— Classic masculine name of same era
Leonard— Three-syllable Germanic name of same vintage

Frequently Asked

What does Jeffery mean?

Jeffery means pledged peace from Old High German gawia (pledge) and frid (peace).

Is Jeffery different from Jeffrey?

Jeffery and Jeffrey are variant spellings of the same name with the same meaning and pronunciation.

How do you pronounce Jeffery?

Jeffery is pronounced JEF-er-ee with three syllables.

What names are similar to Jeffery?

Similar vintage names include Geoffrey, Gerald, and Jerome.