Jeff

Jeff - A very unique male name

Jeff appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #239. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Jeff and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Jeff? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Jeff. The baby boy name Jeff was given to 8 baby boys in 2023, ranking #3333 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 183,103 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Jeff peaked in popularity 64 years ago in 1962 on position 44.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Jeff, 1-5?

Jeff is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Jeff is currently topping the baby name charts in Florida at position #1,412 - and is the least popular in Florida at position #1,412.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Jeff is where you live.

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Jeff origin and meaning

Germanic (short form)

A short form of Jeffrey; Jeffrey's own derivation through Geoffrey is disputed, so the short form inherits that uncertainty

Jeff is Jeffrey's everyday form registered as a legal name in large numbers: in the data from 1910, it peaked in 1961 and reached 114,624 lifetime births. It was still recorded in 2020 but has no births recorded in 2025. Geoffrey's elements have been argued over for centuries — possibly 'peace' plus a second element of territory or pledge — and Jeff honestly inherits the dispute.

Origin uncertain

Jeff is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Jeff, pop culture references for the name Jeff and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Jeff

We've found the following names that sound similar to Jeff, sorted by popularity.

Joseph / Jacob / Jakob / Joesph / Jacoby / Josef / Jakobe / Jaycob / Jacobi / Jacobo /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Jeff

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Jeff a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Jeff?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

JEF · /dʒɛf/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Jeffrey — The full name Jeff shortens; a separate, established profile
• Geoff — The Geoffrey-spelling short form of the same family

Famous bearers

• Jeff Bezos — Amazon founder, born Jeffrey Bezos and universally known as Jeff Bezos (b. 1964) Contemporary
• Jeff Bridges — Actor, Oscar winner for Crazy Heart, born Jeffrey Bridges and known as Jeff Bridges (b. 1949) Contemporary

Style

Short formNickname nameClassic

Why parents choose it

The plainspoken form of a medieval name, carried by founders and film stars — as a baby name today it belongs to the fathers' generation.

Worth knowing

• Most Jeffs are Jeffreys; the full name will be assumed
• No births recorded in 2025 after a 1961 peak