Jeffrey is a common

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

given name, and a variant form of the name Geoffrey (itself from a

Middle French Middle French (french: moyen français) is a historical division of the French language that covers the period from the 14th to the 16th century. It is a period of transition during which: * the French language became clearly distinguished from t ...

variant of Godfrey,

Gottfried Gottfried is a masculine German given name. It is derived from the Old High German name , recorded since the 7th century. The name is composed of the elements (conflated from the etyma for 'God' and 'good', and possibly further conflated with ) a ...

). It has been argued that the common derivation of Middle French ''Geoffrey (or Geoffroy), Jeffery'' from '' Godfrey'' is mistaken, and that the names reflect two separate first Germanic elements ''god'' vs. ''

gaut is an early Germanic name, from a Proto-Germanic ''gautaz'', which represents a mythical ancestor or national god in the origin myth of the Geats. Etymology ''Gautaz'' may be connected to the name of the Swedish river Göta älv at the city ...

'', which became conflated in Old High German by the end of the early medieval period.

Albert Dauzat Albert Dauzat (; 4 July 1877 – 31 October 1955) was a French linguist specializing in toponymy and onomastics. Dauzat, a student of Jules Gilliéron, was a director of studies at the École des hautes études. Works * ''L'argot des poilus; di ...

, ''Noms et prénoms de France'', Librairie Larousse 1980, édition revue et commentée par

Marie-Thérèse Morlet Marie-Thérèse Morlet (Guise, Aisne, November 18, 1913 - July 9, 2005) was a French scholar (specialist in onomastics) and honorary director of research at CNRS. Her publications include ''Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille'' (''Et ...

. p. 287b - 288a - 296ab. Outside of North America, ''Geoffrey'' is more common than ''Jeffrey''. Jeffrey and its variants are found as surnames, usually as a patronymic ending in -s (e.g., Jefferies, Jaffrays); The surname

Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...

is also a patronymic version of the given name. In

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, Jeffrey is most frequently found to be a surname. Variations include Jeff, Jeffry, Jeffy, Jeffery, Jeffory, Geoff, Geoffrey, Jeffeory, Geffrey, Jefferson, and Jeffro.

People with the name Jeffrey

Academia

Jeffrey Cole Jeffrey E. Cole is an American anthropologist. He is professor of Anthropology, chairman of the Department of Anthropology and dean at Connecticut College, and served as president of the Society for the Anthropology of Europe of the American Ant ...

, American anthropologist *

Jeffrey Garten Jeffrey E. Garten (born October 29, 1946) is an American economist, author, businessman, and former government official who is Dean Emeritus at the Yale School of Management, where he teaches a variety of courses on the global economy. From 1996 ...

, American businessman and writer, professor and dean of Yale School of Management *

Jeffrey Hackney Jeffrey Hackney (born 5 January 1941) is a legal academic specialising in property law, law of trusts, and legal history at the University of Oxford. He attended Wadham College, University of Oxford. He retired in 2009 from his position as a Fell ...

, British legal academic at Wadham College, Oxford *

Jeffrey A. Hoffman Jeffrey Alan Hoffman (born November 2, 1944) is an American former NASA astronaut and currently a professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT. Hoffman made five flights as a Space Shuttle astronaut, including the first mission to repair th ...

, American astronaut, professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology *

Jeffrey Kaplan (academic) Jeffrey Kaplan (born 1954) is an American academic who has written and edited a number of books on racism, religious violence, terrorism and the far right. He is an associate professor of religion at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh and a me ...

, American academic, author and book editor *

Jeffrey Lagarias Jeffrey Clark Lagarias (born November 16, 1949 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States) is a mathematician and professor at the University of Michigan. Education While in high school in 1966, Lagarias studied astronomy at the Summer Science ...

, American professor of mathematics at the University of Michigan * Jeffrey Rosen, American legal academic and commentator, professor of law at George Washington University Law School *

Jeffrey Sachs Jeffrey David Sachs () (born 5 November 1954) is an American economist, academic, public policy analyst, and former director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, where he holds the title of University Professor. He is known for his work ...

, American professor of economics and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, New York

Art

Jeffrey Rowbotham Jeffrey Rowbotham, Royal Institute of British Architects#Designation, ARIBA (23 August 1920 – 1 March 1984) was a Scottish people, Scottish architect. Life From February to August 1939, Rowbotham was an apprentice for James M Monro & Son. I ...

, Scottish architect *

Jeffrey Schiff Jeffrey Schiff is an artist working in Brooklyn, New York. He currently teaches at Wesleyan University. Selected exhibitions *2003, Wesleyan University, Olin Memorial Library, The Library Project *2000, Bose Pacia Modern, NY, Boundlessly Various an ...

, American artist *

Jeffrey Steele (artist) Jeffrey Steele (1931–2021) was an abstract painter. In Paris (1959) he encountered the work of artists working in the mode of geometric abstraction, such as Victor Vasarely (1906–97), Max Bill (1908–94) and Josef Albers (1888–1976), ...

, British abstract artist

Business

Jeffrey Cheah Jeffrey Cheah Fook Ling (Hakka Chinese: ) (born 1945 or 1946) is the founder and current chairman of the Sunway Group, a Malaysian conglomerate (company), conglomerate operating in 12 industries with core businesses in property and construc ...

, founder of Malaysian conglomerate Sunway Group *

Jeffrey Hollender Jeffrey Hollender (born 1954 in New York City) is an American entrepreneur, author and activist best known for founding Seventh Generation Inc. Early life Hollender grew up in New York City and attended The Town School, The Allen-Stevenson Sch ...

, American entrepreneur, author and activist, co-founder and former CEO of Seventh Generation Inc. *

Jeffrey Katzenberg Jeffrey Katzenberg (; born December 21, 1950) is an American filmmaker, animator, and media proprietor. He became well known for his tenure as chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. After departing Disney, he was a co-founder and CE ...

, American co-founder of DreamWorks SKG and CEO of DreamWorks Animation SKG * Jeffrey Rosen, American billionaire businessman *

Jeffrey Steinberger Jeffrey Wayne Steinberger is an American trial lawyer, a judge pro tem, an adjunct professor of law, and a TV legal analyst who lives in Beverly Hills. Education Steinberger attended Queens College, City University of New York, and he received ...

, American trial lawyer and founder of law firm, judge pro tem, adjunct law professor, TV legal analyst

Crime

Jeffrey Dahmer Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer (; May 21, 1960 – November 28, 1994), also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, was an American serial killer and sex offender who killed and dismemberment, dismembered seventeen men and boys ...

, American cannibalistic serial killer and sex offender * Jeffrey Dampier, American lottery winner who was murdered * Jeffrey "Jeff" Doucet, American pedophile murdered by

Gary Plauché Leon Gary Plauché (November 10, 1945 – October 23, 2014) was an American man known for publicly killing Jeff Doucet, who had kidnapped, raped, and molested Plauché's prepubescent son, Jody. The killing occurred on Friday, March 16, 1984, and ...

Jeffrey Epstein Jeffrey Edward Epstein ( ; January 20, 1953August 10, 2019) was an American sex offender and financier. Epstein, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, began his professional life by teaching at the Dalton School in Manhattan, des ...

, American financier and convicted sex offender * Jeffrey Russell Hall, American political extremist killed by his son * Jeffrey R. MacDonald, American former physician convicted of killing his family

Entertainment

Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter (born 17 September 1946) is a Jamaican-born actor. Introduction He was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. He spent his childhood like most children who weren't in the acting business. He moved to America in his ear ...

, Jamaican film and television actor *

Jeffrey Ching Jeffrey Ching (, born 4 November 1965) is a contemporary classical composer. He was born in the Philippines, to Chinese parents. He is married with the operatic soprano Andión Fernández and has two children. His opera ' was given in the The ...

, British contemporary classical composer *

Jeffrey Combs Jeffrey Alan Combs (born September 9, 1954) is an American actor. He is known for starring in horror films, such as ''Re-Animator'', and appearances playing a number of characters in the ''Star Trek'' and the DC animated universe television fr ...

, American character actor best known for his horror film roles *

Jeffrey Daniel Jeffrey Glen Daniel (born August 24, 1955 ) is an American dancer, singer-songwriter and choreographer, most notable for being a founding member of the R&B vocal group Shalamar. In Nigeria, he is best known as a former ''Idol'' series judge ...

, American singer and dancer with the soul group Shalamar *

Jeffrey DeMunn Jeffrey DeMunn (born April 25, 1947) is an American stage, film and television actor known for playing Captain Esteridge in '' The Hitcher'' (1986), Sheriff Herb Geller in ''The Blob'' (1988), Andrei Chikatilo in '' Citizen X'' (1995), Harry Terwi ...

, American actor *

Jeffrey Donovan Jeffrey Donovan (born May 11, 1968) is an American actor. He played Michael Westen in the television series ''Burn Notice'', and appeared in films such as '' Hitch'', '' Believe in Me'', '' Changeling'', and ''Come Early Morning''. He played Ro ...

, American actor *

Jeffrey Goldblum Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum (; born October 22, 1952) is an American actor and musician. He has starred in some of List of highest-grossing films, the highest-grossing films of his era, such as Jurassic Park (film), ''Jurassic Park'' (1993) and ''In ...

, American film and television actor *

Jeffrey Hunter Jeffrey Hunter (born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr.; November 25, 1926 – May 27, 1969) was an American film and television actor and producer known for his roles in films such as ''The Searchers'' and ''King of Kings (1961 film), King of Kin ...

, American film and television actor *

Jeffrey Jones Jeffrey Duncan Jones (born September 28, 1946) is an American character actor, best known for his roles as Emperor Joseph II in '' Amadeus'' (1984), Edward R. Rooney in ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' (1986), Charles Deetz in ''Beetlejuice'' (1988 ...

, American actor * Jeffrey Isbell (

Izzy Stradlin Jeffrey Dean Isbell (born April 8, 1962), best known as Izzy Stradlin, is an American guitarist. He was a co-founder and rhythm guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, which he left at the height of their fame in 1991, and with whom he ...

), American musician *

, American film producer *

Jeffrey Lewis Jeffrey Lewis (born November 20, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and comic book artist. Early life Lewis was born in New York City and grew up on the Lower East Side. He attended State University of New York at Purchase, graduating i ...

, American musician and comic artist * Jeffrey Lyons, American television and film critic * Jeffrey Marsh, American writer, activist actor, artist and author *

Jeffrey Dean Morgan Jeffrey Dean Morgan (born April 22, 1966) is an American actor of television and film, best known for playing the character Negan in the AMC horror drama series '' The Walking Dead'' (2016–2022), for which he has received critical acclaim. He ...

, American actor *

Jeffrey Nordling Jeffrey Richard Nordling (born March 11, 1962) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Jake Manning in ''Once and Again'', Larry Moss in '' 24'', Nick Bolen in ''Desperate Housewives'', and Gordon Klein in '' Big Little Lies'', as wel ...

, American actor *

Jeffrey Osborne Jeffrey Linton Osborne (born March 9, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and lyricist. He is the former drummer and lead singer of the American R&B/soul group L.T.D., with whom he began his musical career in 1970. Biography Earl ...

, American singer–songwriter, musician and lyricist *

Jeffrey Reiner Jeffrey Reiner is an American film director, editor, screenwriter, television director, and producer. Career Since the late 1980s, he has amassed a number of credits in the film and television industry. He edited the films ''Cheerleader Camp'' ...

,American film director, editor, screenwriter, television director, and producer * Jeffrey D. Sams, American actor * Jeffrey Shih, American video game player *

Jeffrey Steele Jeffrey LeVasseur (born August 27, 1961), known as Jeffrey Steele, is an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with recording his own material, Steele has become a prolific Nashville songwriter, having co-written more than 60 hit ...

, American singer and songwriter *

Jeffrey Tambor Jeffrey Michael Tambor (born July 8, 1944) is an American actor. He is known for his television roles such as Jeffrey Brookes, the uptight neighbor of Stanley and Helen Roper in the television sitcom ''The Ropers'' (1979–1980), as Hank Kings ...

, American actor *

Jeffrey Toobin Jeffrey Ross Toobin (; born May 21, 1960) is an American lawyer, author, blogger, and longtime legal analyst for CNN. He left CNN on September 4, 2022. During the Iran–Contra affair, Toobin served as an associate counsel on this investigation ...

, American commentator and writer *

Jeffrey Wright (actor) Jeffrey Wright (born December 7, 1965) is an American actor. He is well known for his role as Belize in the Broadway production of ''Angels in America'', for which he would win a Tony Award, and its HBO miniseries adaptation, for which he woul ...

, American film and television actor

Literature

Jeffrey Archer Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare (born 15 April 1940) is an English novelist, life peer, convicted criminal, and former politician. Before becoming an author, Archer was a Member of Parliament (1969–1974), but did not ...

, English author and former politician *

Jeffrey Brown (comics) Jeffrey Brown (born July 1975) is an American cartoonist born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Biography Early life and education After growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Brown moved to Chicago in 2000 to pursue an MFA at the School of the Art ...

, American comic book writer and artist *

Jeffrey Carver Jeffrey A. Carver (born 1949) is an American science fiction author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland, graduated from Brown University, and lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts with his family. His 2000 novel ''Eternity's End'' was a n ...

, American science fiction author * Jeffrey Daniels (author), Chicago-raised African American poet, artist, and professor *

Jeffrey Eugenides Jeffrey Kent Eugenides (born March 8, 1960) is an American novelist and short story writer. He has written numerous short stories and essays, as well as three novels: ''The Virgin Suicides'' (1993), ''Middlesex'' (2002), and'' The Marriage Plot'' ...

, American novelist and short story writer of Greek and Irish origins *

Jeffrey Ford Jeffrey Ford (born November 8, 1955) is an American writer in the fantastic genre tradition, although his works have spanned genres including fantasy, science fiction and mystery. His work is characterized by a sweeping imaginative power, humo ...

, American novelist and story writer *

Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson (born March 28, 1941 as Jeffrey Lloyd Masson) is an American author. Masson is best known for his conclusions about Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis. In his ''The Assault on Truth'' (1984), Masson argues that Freud may ha ...

, Sanskrit specialist and author who trained as a psychoanalyst in Toronto *

Jeffrey Rowland Jeffrey J. Rowland (born May 22, 1974) is the author and artist responsible for ''#Wigu, Wigu'' and ''#Overcompensating, Overcompensating'', two popular webcomics. Originally from Locust Grove, Oklahoma, Locust Grove, Oklahoma, Rowland now lives ...

, American webcomic artist *

Jeffrey Simpson Jeffrey Carl Simpson, OC (born February 17, 1949), is a Canadian journalist. Simpson was ''The Globe and Mails national affairs columnist for almost three decades. He has won all three of Canada's leading literary prizes—the Governor Genera ...

, American-born Canadian journalist and national affairs columnist with ''The Globe and Mail'' newspaper * Jeffrey S. Williams, American writer and Civil War historian

Military

Jeffrey Chessani Jeffrey R. Chessani (born December 26, 1963) is a retired Lieutenant colonel (United States), Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps, and was the commanding officer 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines during the November 2005 urban combat in ...

, former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps * Jeffrey Feinstein, former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force * Jeffrey J. Schloesser, former major general in the U.S. Army *

Jeffrey Williams (astronaut) Jeffrey Nels Williams (born January 18, 1958) is a retired United States Army officer and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of four space flights and formerly held the American record for most days spent in space, which was surpassed in April ...

, former U.S. Army officer and astronaut

Sport

Jeffrey Buttle Jeffrey "Jeff" Buttle (born September 1, 1982) is a Canadian figure skater and choreographer. He is the 2006 Winter Olympics bronze medalist, the 2008 World champion, the 2002 and 2004 Four Continents champion and the 2005–2007 Canadian cha ...

, Canadian figure skater *

Jeffrey Carlson Jeffrey Carlson (born June 23, 1975) is an American, Broadway, film, television actor and singer, known for his role as the transgender character, Zoe on the long-running daytime soap opera '' All My Children''. Education Carlson was born in L ...

, American hockey player, one of the fictional Hanson Brothers from the film, "Slap Shot" *

Jeffrey Earnhardt Jeffrey Lynn Earnhardt (born June 22, 1989) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing. He is the son of Kerry Earnhardt, gran ...

, American racing driver * Jeffrey Finley, Canadian football player *

Jeffrey Gunter Jeffrey Gunter (born June 1, 1999) is an American football defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Coastal Carolina and N.C. State. Early life and high school Gunter grew u ...

(born 1999), American football player *

Jeffrey Jordan Jeffrey Michael Jordan (born November 18, 1988) is an American former basketball player who played for the University of Illinois and the University of Central Florida. He is the oldest child of retired Hall of Fame basketball player Michael ...

, son of Michael Jordan, US former college basketball player *

Jeffrey Lay Jeffrey M. Y Lay/Honorat (born October, 1962 is a retired Rowing (sport), rower from Canada. He won the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in the Men's Lightweight Coxless Fours, alongside Brian Peaker, Dave Boyes, and Gavin Hassett. Refer ...

, Canadian rower

Other

Jeffrey Brenner Jeffrey Brenner is the CEO of the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, and a primary care physician. Biography Brenner is the founder of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, and was its executive director from 2006 to 2017. ...

, American CEO of the

Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services The Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (the Jewish Board) is one of the United States' largest nonprofit mental health and social service agencies, and New York State's largest social services nonprofit. Its services are non-secta ...

Fictional characters

* Jeffrey P. Brookes III, on the TV sitcom ''

The Ropers ''The Ropers'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on ABC from March 13, 1979, to May 22, 1980. It is a spin-off of ''Three's Company'' and loosely based on the British sitcom ''George and Mildred'', which was itself a spin-off of ...

'' * Jeffrey Dexter "Jeff" Boomhauer III, one of the main characters on the animated Fox Network TV series ''

King of the Hill ''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired its original non-syndicated run from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, and centers on the Hills, an Am ...

'', voiced by Mike Judge * Jeffrey Goines, one of the main characters in the 1995 science fiction film '' 12 Monkeys'', played by

Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...

* Jeffrey Matthews a.k.a.

Moondoggie Moondoggie is a fictional character created by Frederick Kohner in his 1957 novel '' Gidget, The Little Girl with Big Ideas''.''Gidget'' (2001) by Frederick Kohner, Berkley Publishing Group, New York, NY (first edition 1957) He appears as a pri ...

, in the film ''

Gidget Gidget () is a fictional character created by author Frederick Kohner (based on his teenaged daughter, Kathy) in his 1957 novel, ''Gidget, the Little Girl with Big Ideas''. The novel follows the adventures of a teenaged girl and her surfing fri ...

'', the two sequels ''

Gidget Goes Hawaiian ''Gidget Goes Hawaiian'' is a 1961 American romantic comedy musical film starring James Darren, Michael Callan and Deborah Walley. Released by Columbia Pictures, the film is a sequel to the 1959 Sandra Dee beach film vehicle ''Gidget''. Dee was ...

'' and ''

Gidget Goes to Rome ''Gidget Goes to Rome'' is a 1963 Columbia Pictures Eastmancolor feature film starring Cindy Carol as the archetypal high school teen surfer girl originally portrayed by Sandra Dee in the 1959 film ''Gidget''. The film is the third of three Gidg ...

'', played by

James Darren James William Ercolani (born June 8, 1936) known by his stage name James Darren, is an American television and film actor, television director, and singer. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had notable starring and supporting roles in fi ...

* Jeffrey Michener, in the TV series '' The Last Ship'', played by

Mark Moses Mark W. Moses (born February 24, 1958) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Paul Young in the ABC comedy-drama ''Desperate Housewives'' (2004–2011) and as Herman "Duck" Phillips in the AMC period drama ''Mad Men'' (2007–2014). ...

Jeffrey Sinclair Jeffrey Sinclair is a character in the fictional universe of the science fiction television series ''Babylon 5'', played by actor Michael O'Hare. He was a regular in the first season of the show, as Commander of the Babylon 5 station, and made a ...

, one of the main characters in the 1990s science fiction TV series ''

Babylon 5 ''Babylon 5'' is an American space opera television series created by writer and producer J. Michael Straczynski, under the Babylonian Productions label, in association with Straczynski's Synthetic Worlds Ltd. and Warner Bros. Domestic Tel ...

'', played by

Michael O'Hare Robert Michael O'Hare Jr. (May 6, 1952 – September 28, 2012) was an American actor who performed on stage and television. He was best known for playing the lead role of space station Commander Jeffrey Sinclair in the science fiction tele ...

* Jeffrey Hoytsman, a defense attorney and drug addict in the TV show '' Brooklyn 99''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jeffrey (Name) English masculine given names English-language surnames Masculine given names Lists of people by given name

People with the name Jeffrey

Academia

Art

Business

Crime

Entertainment

Literature

Military

Sport

Other

Fictional characters

See also

References