National Jeff Day – October 20, 2022, history, significance,
National Jeff Day is celebrated every year on October 20. Jeffrey is the Americanized version of Geoffrey, a German name. It is a name that means “pledge of peace.” Jeffrey was a popular mid-century hit, with the nickname Jeff being the pinnacle of cool.
Jeffrey debuted on the pop charts in 1934 and remained in the ‘Top 2’0 from the mid-1950s through 1978. Actors Jeff Bridges and Jeff Daniels, novelists Jeffrey Archer and Jeffrey Eugenides, and racing car driver Jeff Gordon are just a few examples of Jeffrey or Jeff namesakes.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL JEFF DAY
Jeff is a common English surname and a spelling variation of Geoffrey. Geoffrey is a Middle French name that is a combination of Godfrey and Gottfried. It has been suggested that the popular derivation of Middle French Geoffrey and Jeffrey from Godfrey is incorrect and that the names reflect two distinct first Germanic elements (god and gaut, which got muddled in Old High German by the late Middle Ages.)
The surname Jeff is a patronymic name (or a surname derived from an ancestral father) derived from the names Geoffrey and Godfrey, respectively. These names are spelled Geffrey in Old English and Jefroi or Jeufroi in Old French.
“The Domesday Book” of 1086 lists Goisfridus, Gaufridus, and Gosfridus. People used only their surnames at the time; forenames were added subsequently. Galfridus was found in the county of Lincolnshire. Early forms of the surname Jeff were discovered in “The Domesday Book” from 1086, including Goisfridus, Gaufridus, and Gosfridus. Galfridus was later discovered in Lincolnshire in 1150.
In the Curia Regis Rolls for Norfolk, the name Simian filius Gosfrie appears with a forename for the first time in 1210.
NATIONAL JEFF DAY TIMELINE
1086
“The Domesday Book”
“The Domesday Book” lists original variations of names from which Jeff is coined.
1283
Suffolk Subsidy Rolls
Agnes Geffreys appears in the Suffolk Subsidy Rolls.
1944
Jeff Beck is Born
Geoffrey Arnold Beck, frontman of the Jeff Beck Group and one of the greatest guitarists of all time, is born in England.
1994
Jeff Bezos Creates Amazon
Jeffrey Preston Bezos, an American entrepreneur, investor, and computer engineer, creates Amazon, selling music, videos, and books.
2007
“13 Reasons Why”
Jeff Atkins is a character in the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” adapted from a 2007 novel.
NATIONAL JEFF DAY ACTIVITIES
Make plans for a weekend getaway
Gather your friends for a night or two. For the trip, everyone chips in to cover the cost of the share of the person being celebrated. You might not make it into space as Jeff Bezos did, but a weekend getaway is much less troublesome than wearing a spacesuit and riding a rocket.
Have a relaxing beach day
Whatever the weather, it’s a beach day. If it’s hot, bring sunscreen and a cooler full of cold drinks; if it’s freezing, bring blankets to snuggle up and enjoy the view.
Cooking lessons
Consider taking a culinary lesson. Is there a more enjoyable way to spend a day than eating? What about learning to cook a new cuisine and then eating it?
5 FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT THE NAME JEFF
123rd most common name
With an estimated number of 504,870, Jeff is the 123rd most frequently given name in the United States.
The 60,156th position
The surname Jeff is the 60,156th most common surname on the planet.
One in 869,739 persons
One in every 869,739 people has the name Jeff.
A common American name
The name Jeff is more common in the Americas compared to other countries.
Projected population
Jeffrey ranks 29th among the most popular baby names in the last 100 years, according to the Social Security Administration.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL JEFF DAY
We can be identified by our names
A child’s name sets him or her apart from others. Allowing society to treat and deal with the child as a distinct individual with unique needs and feelings.
Names have significance
Names have significance, either a literal or religious meaning. In either case, their significance can represent our parents’ emotions at the time of our birth.
It’s about making people feel special
It’s a day set aside to make people feel special. Everyone who shares a name is recognized on their name day and receives flowers and gifts.
