jeff
/d͡ʒɛf/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.45 in modern English
17
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
name
A diminutive of the male given names Jeffrey, Jeffery, Jefferey, Jeffry, and Jefferson.
name
A surname.
Example Sentences
Etymology
From Jeffrey, a variant of Geoffrey, from Middle English Geffrey, from an Old French aristocratic name, Geoffroi [dʒɔfreʲ] (> West Middle French Geoffrey, East Middle French Geoffroy), itself from Proto-French forms (latinized in -us) Jotfredus, Jozsfredus, Josfredus (10th century) and Jof[f]redus, Jofridus, Jaufredus, Geffredus (11th century), and ultimately of Proto-Germanic origin. The second element is *friþuz (“peace, sanctuary”). The first element may be *gautaz (“a Geat, a Goth”) [making the Proto-Germanic term *Gautafriþu], as opposed to *gōdaz (“good”) or *gudą (“god”) in Godfrey; this would also make it related to Jocelyn. The name was introduced to England by the Normans in the 11th century.