Jeffrey is a common English given name, and a variant form of the name Geoffrey (itself from a

Middle French Middle French () is a historical division of the French language that covers the period from the mid-14th to the early 17th centuries. It is a period of transition during which: * the French language became clearly distinguished from the other co ...

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, and composed of the elements (conflated from the etyma for "God" and "good", and possibly further conflated with ) and ("pe ...

). 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, ''Noms et prénoms de France'', Librairie Larousse 1980, édition revue et commentée par Marie-Thérèse Morlet. 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 is also a patronymic version of the given name. In

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

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

People with the name Jeffrey

Academia

* Jeffrey Cole, American anthropologist *

Jeffrey Garten Jeffrey E. Garten (born 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 global economy. From 1996 to 2005 he was ...

(born 1946), American businessman and writer, professor and dean of Yale School of Management * Jeffrey Hackney (born 1941), British legal academic at Wadham College, Oxford * Jeffrey A. Hoffman (born 1944), American astronaut, professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology *

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

(born 1954), American academic, author and book editor * Jeffrey Lagarias (born 1949), American professor of mathematics at the University of Michigan * Jeffrey B. Remmel (1948–2017), American mathematics professor of UC San Diego * Jeffrey Rosen (born 1964), American legal academic and commentator, professor of law at George Washington University Law School *

Jeffrey Sachs Jeffrey David Sachs ( ; born November 5, 1954) is an American economist and public policy analyst who is a professor at Columbia University, where he was formerly director of The Earth Institute. He worked on the topics of sustainable develop ...

(born 1954), American professor of economics and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, New York * Jeffrey L. Seglin (born 1956), American writer and teacher

Art

* Jeffrey Rowbotham (1920–1984), Scottish architect * Jeffrey Cheung, American skateboarder and artist * Jeffrey Schiff, American artist * Jeffrey Steele (artist) (1931–2021), British abstract artist

Business

Jeffrey Cheah Jeffrey Cheah Fook Ling (; pinfa: ''Qia4 Fu4 Ngian2''; born 1945 or 1946) KBE is a Malaysian entrepreneur who is the founder and current chairman of the Sunway Group, a Malaysian conglomerate operating in 12 industries with core busines ...

(born 1945/1946), founder of Malaysian conglomerate Sunway Group * Jeffrey Hollender (born 1954), 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 media proprietor and film producer. He served as chairman of Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994, a position in which he oversaw production and busin ...

(born 1950), American co-founder of DreamWorks SKG, CEO of DreamWorks Animation SKG, and film producer * Jeffrey Rosen, American billionaire businessman * Jeffrey Steinberger, 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 b ...

(1960–1994), American cannibalistic serial killer and sex offender * Jeffrey Dampier (1966–2005), American lottery winner who was murdered * Jeffrey "Jeff" Doucet (?-1984), American pedophile murdered by Gary Plauché *

Jeffrey Epstein Jeffrey Edward Epstein ( , ; January 20, 1953August 10, 2019) was an American financier and child sex offender. Born and raised in New York City, Epstein began his professional career as a teacher at the Dalton School, despite lacking a col ...

(1953–2019), American financier and convicted sex offender * Jeffrey Russell Hall (1978–2011), American political extremist killed by his son * Jeffrey R. MacDonald (born 1943), American former physician convicted of killing his family

Entertainment

* Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter (born 1946), Jamaican film and television actor * Jeffrey Ching (born 1965), British contemporary classical composer *

Jeffrey Combs Jeffrey Alan Combs (born September 9, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Herbert West in the ''Re-Animator'' film series (1985–2003) and portraying multiple characters in the ''Star Trek'' universe, most notably the ...

(born 1954), 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, and a founding member of the R&B vocal group Shalamar. In Nigeria, he is best known as a judge on the first three seasons of '' Nigerian ...

(born 1955), American singer and dancer with the soul group Shalamar *

Jeffrey DeMunn Jeffrey P. 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 ...

(born 1947), American actor *

Jeffrey Donovan Jeffrey Donovan (born May 11, 1968) is an American actor. He has 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 play ...

(born 1968), American actor * Jeffrey Goldblum (born 1952), 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 Ki ...

(1926–1969), American film and television actor * Jeffrey Jones (born 1946), American actor * Jeffrey Isbell (

Izzy Stradlin Jeffrey Dean Isbell (born April 8, 1962), known professionally as Izzy Stradlin, is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was a co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and backing vocalist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he re ...

) (born 1962), American musician *

Jeffrey Lau Jeffrey Lau Chun-Wai (; born 5 February 1955) is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, actor and producer. Lau is famous for writing and directing " mo lei tau" comedies. His comedies include '' A Chinese Odyssey'' (with Stephen Chow) and '' ...

(born 1955), Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, actor and producer * Jeffrey Lewis (born 1975), American musician and comic artist * Jeffrey Lyons (born 1944), American television and film critic * Jeffrey Marsh (born 1976/1977), American writer, activist actor, artist and author *

Jeffrey Dean Morgan Jeffrey Dean Morgan (born April 22, 1966) is an American actor. He is best known for playing the character Negan in the AMC horror drama series '' The Walking Dead'' (2016–2022) and its spin-off '' The Walking Dead: Dead City'' (2023–present ...

(born 1966), American actor * Jeffrey Ngai (born 1998), Hong Kong actor and singer *

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 ...

(born 1962), 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. (band), L.T.D., with whom he began his musical career in 1970. B ...

(born 1948), American singer–songwriter, musician and lyricist * Jeffrey Reiner, American film director, editor, screenwriter, television director, and producer * Jeffrey D. Sams (born 1968), American actor * Jeffrey Shih (born 1987), 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 ...

(born 1961), American singer and songwriter *

Jeffrey Tambor Jeffrey Michael Tambor (born July 8, 1944) is an American retired 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 ...

(born 1944), American actor * Jeffrey Toobin (born 1960), American commentator and writer *

Jeffrey Wright Jeffrey Wright (born December 7, 1965) is an American actor. His accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to a nomination for an Academy Award. Wright began his career in theater, where he g ...

(born 1965), 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 and former politician. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Louth (Lincolnshire) from 1969 to 1974, but did not seek re-election after a fina ...

(born 1940), English author and former politician * Jeffrey Brown (comics) (born 1975), American comic book writer and artist * Jeffrey Carver (born 1949), 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 author. He has written numerous short stories and essays, as well as three novels: '' The Virgin Suicides'' (1993), ''Middlesex'' (2002), and '' The Marriage Plot'' (2011). ''The Virgin Su ...

(born 1960), 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 Fantastique, fantastic genre tradition, although his works have spanned genres including fantasy, science fiction and mystery. His work is characterized by a sweeping imaginati ...

(born 1955), 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 ma ...

(born 1941), Sanskrit specialist and author who trained as a psychoanalyst in Toronto * Jeffrey Rowland (born 1974), American webcomic artist * Jeffrey Simpson (born 1949), 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 (born 1963), former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps * Jeffrey Feinstein (born 1945), former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force * Jeffrey J. Schloesser, former major general in the U.S. Army * Jeffrey Williams (astronaut) (born 1958), former U.S. Army officer and astronaut

Sport

* Jeffrey Bassa (born 2002), American football player * Jeffrey Buttle (born 1982), Canadian figure skater * Jeffrey Carlson (1975–2023), American hockey player, one of the fictional Hanson Brothers from the film, "Slap Shot" * Jeffrey de Lange (born 1998), Dutch footballer * Jeffrey Earnhardt (born 1989), American racing driver * Jeffrey Finley (born 1991), Canadian football player * Jeffrey Gunter (born 1999), American football player * Jeffrey Jordan (born 1988), son of Michael Jordan, US former college basketball player * Jeffrey Lay (born 1969), Canadian rower * Jeffrey Lloyd (born 1961), horse racing jockey currently based in Australia

Other

* Jeffrey Brenner, American CEO of the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services * Jeffrey Skiles, American airline pilot

Fictional characters

* Jeffrey P. Brookes III, in the TV series ''

The Ropers ''The Ropers'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from March 13, 1979, to May 15, 1980. It is a Spin-off (media), spin-off of ''Three's Company'' and loosely based on the British sitcom ''Geo ...

'' * Jeffrey Cross, OG Loc, in the video game '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' (2004) * Jeffrey Dexter "Jeff" Boomhauer III, introduced in 1997 as a main character in the TV series ''King of the Hill'' * Jeffrey Goines, a main character in the film ''

12 Monkeys ''12 Monkeys'' is a 1995 American Science fiction film, science fiction thriller film directed by Terry Gilliam from a screenplay by David Peoples and Janet Peoples, based on Chris Marker's 1962 short film ''La Jetée''. It stars Bruce Willis, M ...

'' (1995) * Jeffrey Hoytsman, introduced in 2015 as a defense attorney in the TV series ''

Brooklyn Nine-Nine ''Brooklyn Nine-Nine'' is an American police procedural sitcom television series that aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox, and later on NBC, from September 17, 2013, to September 16, 2021, for eight seasons and 153 episodes. Created by Dan G ...

'' * Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, the title character in the film ''

The Big Lebowski ''The Big Lebowski'' () is a 1998 crime comedy film written, directed, produced and co-edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. It follows the life of Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler. He is assaulted ...

'' (1998) * Jeffrey Matthews a.k.a. Moondoggie, introduced in 1957 as a main character in the ''Gidget'' media franchise * List of The Last Ship characters#Jeffrey Michener, introduced in 2015 as President of the United States in the TV series ''The Last Ship'' *

Jeffrey Sinclair Jeffrey Sinclair is a fictional character on the space opera television series titled ''Babylon 5''. He is the original Commander of the Babylon 5 space station. Portrayed by Michael O'Hare, the character appeared regularly on the first season o ...

, introduced in 1988 as the commander of the eponymous space station in the 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 ...

References

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