Jeffery
Jeffery is a boy's name of Germanic origin.
Meaning
Pledge of peace, divine territory, or peaceful ruler.
Origin and history
Jeffery is a spelling variant of Jeffrey, derived from Germanic elements meaning 'pledge of peace' or 'divine territory'. It gained substantial popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century. Although less common today than its Jeffrey spelling, it remains a well-known classic name.
Popularity in the United States
230,549 babies in the United States have been named Jeffery since 1880. It ranks #168 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1087.
States where it is most popular
- CA (7.6 %)
- OH (6.9 %)
- MI (5.9 %)
- IL (5.8 %)
- TX (5.7 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 5 |
| 1900-1910 | 13 |
| 1910-1920 | 129 |
| 1920-1930 | 216 |
| 1930-1940 | 295 |
| 1940-1950 | 4,754 |
| 1950-1960 | 45,879 |
| 1960-1970 | 79,534 |
| 1970-1980 | 44,565 |
| 1980-1990 | 29,571 |
| 1990-2000 | 14,667 |
| 2000-2010 | 6,487 |
| 2010-2019 | 3,448 |
| 2020-2029 | 986 |
Famous people named Jeffery
- Jeffery Amherst: military officer, governor
- Jeffery Deaver: author, novelist
- Jeffery Simmons: athlete
Nicknames
Jeff, Jeffy
Fun facts
- Jeffery arose as an English spelling variant alongside Jeffrey, both originating from Anglo-Norman forms of Old German names.
- Jeffery was exceptionally popular in the mid-to-late 20th century in the United States, counting over 230,000 total births.