Meanings
alternative Jeffrey · alternative Jeffery · alternative Jeoffrey · alternative Jeoffery · alternative Geoffery · alternative Geffery · alternative archaic Geffrey
- A male given name from the Germanic languages, popular in the U.K. in the 20th century.
"Were you not aware mamma had a son as well as three daughters?" "Yes, but I didn't know his name. I like Geoffrey; there's some sound in it."
1879, Mary Elizabeth Shipley, Looking Back, page 982 more examples
Geoff grimaced, then smiled back, reminding himself that when his mother wasn't riding this horse, she was a very interesting woman who had taught medieval literature at Drew University for twenty years. In fact, he had been named Geoffrey because of her great admiration for Chaucer.
1996, Mary Higgins Clark, Let me Call You Sweetheart, →ISBN, page 207His full name is Benji Duncan Geoffrey Rigby-Monk. 'You're joking,' Kit said, when I first told him. Benji? Not even Benjamin?' Duncan and ''Geoffrey are his two granddads'names ― both unglamorous and old-dufferish, in Kit's view, and not worth inflicting on a new generation ― and Rigby-Monk is a fusion of Fran's surname and Anton's.
'2011, Sophie Hannah, Lasting Damage, Hodder & Stoughton, →ISBN, pages 77–78 - A surname.
Origin
- Middle EnglishGeffrey
- EnglishGeoffrey
From Middle English Geffrey, from an Old French aristocratic name, Geoffroi [dʒɔfreʲ] (> West Middle French Geoffrey, East Middle French Geoffroy), itself from Proto-French forms (latinized in -us) Jotfredus, Jozsfredus, Josfredus (10th century) and Jof[f]redus, Jofridus, Jaufredus, Geffredus (11th century), and ultimately of Proto-Germanic origin. The second element is *friþuz (“peace, sanctuary”). The first element may be *gautaz (“a Geat, a Goth”) [making the Proto-Germanic term *Gautafriþu, as opposed to *gōdaz (“good”) or *gudą (“god”) in Godfrey; this would also make it related to Jocelyn]. The name was introduced to England by the Normans in the 11th century. Partially displaced Old English Ceolfriþ.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bengali জেফ্রি
- জেফ্রি (jephri)a male given name
Catalan Jofre
- Jofrea male given name
Chinese Cantonese 謝菲 /谢菲
- 謝菲 /谢菲 (ze⁶ fei¹)a male given name
Chinese Mandarin 傑弗里, 傑佛瑞 /杰佛瑞
- 傑弗里 (Jiéfúlǐ)a male given name
- 傑佛瑞 /杰佛瑞 (Jiéfúruì)a male given name
Dutch Jeffrey
- Jeffreya male given name
Esperanto Ĝofredo
- Ĝofredoa male given name
French Geoffroy
- Geoffroya male given name
German Gottfried
- Gottfrieda male given name
Irish Siothrún, Gofraid
- Siothrúna male given name
- Gofraida male given name
Italian Goffredo
- Goffredoa male given name
Japanese ジェフリー
- ジェフリーa male given name
Korean 제프리
- 제프리 (Jepeuri)a male given name
Latin Galfridus
- Galfridusa male given name
Māori Kiowhiri
- Kiowhiria male given name
Polish Godfryd
- Godfryda male given name
Portuguese Godofredo, Gofredo
- Godofredoa male given name
- Gofredoa male given name
- Jofrea male given name
Russian Дже́ффри
- Дже́ффри (Džéffri)a male given name
Scottish Gaelic Goraidh, Goiridh
- Goraidha male given name
- Goiridha male given name
Spanish Godofredo
- Godofredoa male given name
Swedish Gottfrid
- Gottfrida male given name
Ukrainian Дже́ффрі
- Дже́ффрі (Džéffri)a male given name
Welsh Sieffre
- Sieffrea male given name
Rhymes & wordplay
Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
Geoffrey. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Geoffrey
“Geoffrey.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Geoffrey. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Geoffrey,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Geoffrey.
Source: Geoffrey on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.