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Summary
- No one named Jeffrey, Geoffrey or Jeff appears in the Bible, and the name has no Hebrew form or meaning.
- Jeffrey is a medieval spelling of Geoffrey, a Frankish name that the Normans brought to England.
- The second part of the name is Old German fridu, “peace”; the meaning of the first part is disputed.
- “Peaceful ruler” is the meaning of Frederick, not Jeffrey; “God’s peace” belongs to Godfrey, a name sometimes confused with Geoffrey.
- The best-known Bible name built on the word for peace is Solomon, from Hebrew shalom (1 Chronicles 22:9).
- No saint is widely known as Saint Jeffrey; Saint Godfrey of Amiens (1066–1115) is called Geoffroy in French.
Bibliography (Click to show)
- Behind the Name, “Geoffrey,” “Jeffrey,” “Jeff,” “Jefferson,” “Godfrey,” “Frederick” and “Solomon,” with United States popularity figures from Social Security Administration data. https://www.behindthename.com/name/geoffrey
- “Geoffrey (given name),” Wikipedia, citing Albert Dauzat on the origin of Geoffroy and Godefroy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_(given_name)
- “Godfrey of Amiens,” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godfrey_of_Amiens
- Scripture quotation: 1 Chronicles 22:9, English Standard Version. Reference: 1 Chronicles 22:6–10.
