Geoffrey name - Meaning of Geoffrey
- Gender
- Masculine
- Lucky Number
- 6
- Usage
- English, French, Germanic
- Pronounced
- JEF-ree (English) , zhaw-FRAY (French)
- Geoffrey Meaning
- From a Norman French form of a Germanic name. The second element is Germanic frid "peace", but the first element may be either gawia "territory", walah "stranger" or gisil "hostage". It is possible that two or more names merged into a single form. In the later Middle Ages Geoffrey was further confused with the distinct name Godfrey. The Normans introduced this name to England where it became common among the nobility. Famous medieval literary bearers include the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth and the 14th-century poet Geoffrey Chaucer, writer of 'The Canterbury Tales'. By the end of the Middle Ages it had become uncommon, but it was revived in the 20th century, often in the spelling Jeffrey. Geoffrey is an English name, derived from the Old Germanic words “gawja”, which means "a region or area", and “fridu”, which means "peace or safety". The earlier form of the name was Gaufrid.
Geoffrey Related Names
Variants: Godfrey, Jeffrey, Geffrey, Jeffery, Jeffry (English), Geoffroy (French), Geoffry
Diminutives: Geoff, Jeff, Jep (English)
Other Languages: Gaufrid, Gisilfrid, Godafrid, Walahfrid (Ancient Germanic), Guðfriðr (Ancient Scandinavian), Godfried (Dutch), Gottfried (German), Gofraidh, Séafra, Siothrún (Irish), Goffredo, Fredo (Italian), Geoffroi (Medieval French), Gjord, Gjurd (Medieval Scandinavian), Godtfred, Gjurd (Norwegian), Godofredo (Portuguese), Goraidh (Scottish), Godofredo (Spanish), Gottfrid, Gjord (Swedish), Sieffre (Welsh)
Geoffrey Celebrities
Geoffrey Wilkinson - Nobel Prize Winner for Chemistry, Geoffrey Chaucer - author, Geoffrey Beene - fashion designer, Geoffrey Keen - actor, Geoffrey Lewis - actor, Geoffrey Palmer - actor,
