Geoffrey
English
Etymology
From Middle English Geffrey, from a 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),[1] and ultimately of Germanic origin. The second element is *friþuz (“peace, sanctuary”). The first element may be *gautaz (“Geat”) (making the Proto-Germanic term *Gautafriþuz), as opposed to god or gud in Godfrey; this would also make it related to Jocelyn.[2] The name was introduced to England by the Normans in the 11th century.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈdʒɛfɹi/
- Hyphenation: Geof‧frey
Proper noun
Geoffrey
- A male given name. Popular in the U.K. in the 20th century.
- 1879 Mary Elizabeth Shipley: Looking Back. page 98:
- "Were you not aware mamma had a son as well as three daughters?"
- "Yes, but I didn't know his name. I like Geoffrey; there's some sound in it."
- 1996 Mary Higgins Clark: Let me Call You Sweetheart. →ISBN page 207:
- Geoff grimaced, then smiled back, reminding himself that when his mother wasn't riding this horse, she was a very interesting woman who had taught medieval literature at Drew University for twenty years. In fact, he had been named Geoffrey because of her great admiration for Chaucer.
- 2011 Sophie Hannah, Lasting Damage, Hodder & Stoughton, →ISBN, pages 77-78:
- His full name is Benji Duncan Geoffrey Rigby-Monk. 'You're joking,' Kit said, when I first told him. 'Benji? Not even Benjamin?' Duncan and Geoffrey are his two granddads'names ― both unglamorous and old-dufferish, in Kit's view, and not worth inflicting on a new generation ― and Rigby-Monk is a fusion of Fran's surname and Anton's.
- 1879 Mary Elizabeth Shipley: Looking Back. page 98:
Translations
References
- Louis Guinet, Les emprunts gallo-romans au germanique (du Template:Ier à la fin du Template:s-), éditions Klincksieck, 1982.
- Albert Dauzat, Noms et prénoms de France, 1951; édition revue et commentée par Marie-Thérèse Morlet Librairie Larousse 1980, p. 287b - 288a.
Middle English
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