Jeff: meaning “son of JEFFREY”, origin & popularity

Meaning & origin

What it means

In English use, Jeff is a diminutive of Jefferson. Interpretations include “son of JEFFREY” and “the son of Jeffrey” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions. In English use, Jeff is a diminutive of Jeffrey. One German interpretation is “a man of peace.”

Explained through its name family

Where it comes from

In English use, Jeff is a diminutive of Jefferson. An origin associated with Jefferson is English.

Explained through its name family

How it developed

In English use, Jeff is used as a shortened form of Jeffrey.

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Jeff is a diminutive of Jefferson. The history of Jefferson gives this family its wider story. Jefferson’s naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.

Combines direct and name-family evidence

Jeff through the years

Babies since 1880: 120,502; 120,239 boys · 263 girls
Most popular year: 1961; 9,474 babies
2025: 35; #3,342 for boys
2021–25 vs 2016–20: −23%; Easing

Jeff in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1880–2025, per million boys born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 35 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,342 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 23.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 9,463 in 1961. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 208,615 as a first name in 2020; 844 as a surname in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Jeff’s family of names

In English usage, Jeff is a diminutive of Jeffrey. In English usage, Jeff has a related form in Geoffrey. Jeff is a short form of Jeffrey.

Walk Jeff’s family in the name graph

Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

Around the world

Jeff has relatives in 3 languages.

10 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.

Each dot marks where a language is rooted, not where people with the name live today. Bigger dots hold more names. Dots on the border stand for languages further away. Language locations from Glottolog (CC BY 4.0); map from Natural Earth.

Nicknames & forms 10

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

Show 2 moreShow fewer

Across languages 4

Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.

People named Jeff

Characters named Jeff: Comic Book Guy (The Simpsons franchise), Jeff the Killer (Creepypasta).

Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.

Similar names

If you love Jeff, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Scandinavian · Biblical

Sibling ideas

Names that share Jeff’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Jeff

A sister for Jeff

Your shortlist

Jeff