Jeff is a popular boys' name of American origin that has been used for centuries. The name Jeff comes from the English nickname form of Jeffrey, which was originally a French given name derived from the Germanic name "Gefroi." Gefroi is composed of two elements: "ge" meaning "war" and "froi" meaning "peace," resulting in the name having the unique meaning of "peace through strength."
The name Jeffrey first gained popularity during the Middle Ages in England, where it was often used as a nickname for someone who was lively or lively-minded. Over time, Jeffrey evolved into Jeff, which became particularly popular in the United States during the mid-20th century.
Today, Jeff remains a widely-used and well-liked name, often chosen by parents seeking a strong, short, and memorable name for their sons. Despite its historical roots and meanings, Jeff is typically seen as a modern and energetic name that suits boys of all ages and backgrounds.
The name Jeff experienced significant popularity fluctuations over time. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was consistently given to around 50-100 babies per year. However, starting from 1940, there was a dramatic increase in its usage, reaching a peak of 766 births in 1946. This trend continued until the late 1950s and early 1960s when it reached an all-time high with over 9000 births per year. After that period, popularity began to decline steadily, reaching levels below 200 births per year by the mid-1970s. Since then, Jeff has been a relatively uncommon name, with fewer than 100 births per year in recent decades, and dropping as low as 34 births in 2023. Overall, there have been approximately 120,169 babies named Jeff from 1880 to 2023.