Geoffrey - Meaning of Geoffrey

What does Geoffrey mean?

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Geoffrey

[ 2 syll. geo-(f)frey, ge-offr-ey ] The baby boy name Geoffrey is pronounced as JHEHFRiy- †. Geoffrey is used predominantly in English and German, and it is derived from Germanic origins. Geoffrey is of the meaning peaceful ruler. It is derived from the elements 'gawja' which means region, area ; 'walah' stranger ; 'fridu' peace, protection, safety. Gaufrid (Germanic) is an original form of the name. The name is of disputed origin; it could be also have developed as a form of Godfrey. The name was introduced by the Normans to England in the 11th century. The name was used by various counts, including Geoffrey Plantagenet (1113-1151), Count of Anjou, who was the father of Henry II of England. In the late Middle Ages, the name was known from the English poet and philosopher Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400) who wrote The Canterbury Tales, and the Welsh chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth (Gruffudd ap Arthur) who was one of the leading figures in the development of British history and the tales of King Arthur.

Geoffrey is a variation of the name Jeffrey (English).

The name Geoffrey is used to a great extent; it has 42 variations that are used in English and other languages. English variations include Galfrid, Geffree, Geffrey, Geffri, Geffrie, Geffry, Geof, Geofferee, Geofferi, Geofferie, Geoffery, Geoffre, Geoffree, Geoffri, Geoffrie, Geofrey, Geofri, Jefery, Jefferey, Jefferson, Jeffery, Joff, Joffrey, Jophery, Seafra, and Séafra. Other English forms include the shortening Geoff, the pet forms Jeff, Jeffy, and Jepp, and the spelling variants Geoffry, Jeffree, Jeffrey, Jeffrie, Jeffry, and Jefry.

Variations of Geoffrey used in other languages include Geoffroi (French), Geoffroy (French), Giotto (Italian), Goffredo (Italian), Gottfried (German), and Sieffre (Welsh).

See also the related categories, ruler (king), english, normans, peace (quiet), philosopher (scholar), protection, stranger, welsh, german, and counts.

Geoffrey is unusual as a baby name for boys. Its usage peaked modestly in 1975 with 0.086% of baby boys being named Geoffrey. Its ranking then was #167. The baby name has since experienced a substantial loss in popularity, and is currently of irregular use. In 2018, among the group of boy names directly related to Geoffrey, Jeffrey was the most popular.

Baby names that sound like Geoffrey include Geoffry, Jeffery, Jeffree, Jeffrey, Jeffri, Jeffrie, Jeffry, Jefri, Jefry, Gabir, Geoffre, Geoffroi, Gibbor, Gibor, Gybbor, Gybor, Jaafar, Jaaffar, Jabaar, and Jabahri.

† Pronunciation for Geoffrey: JH as in "joy (JH.OY)" ; EH as in "ebb (EH.B)" ; F as in "fee (F.IY)" ; R as in "race (R.EY.S)" ; IY as in "eat (IY.T)"

Details of famous persons named Geoffrey:
Actor Geoffrey Rush, born 6 July 1951, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.
Author Geoffrey Chaucer, London, England.
Fashion Designer Geoffrey Beene, born 30 August 1927 - 28 September 2004, Haynesville, Louisiana.