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Godfrey as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Godfrey

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The baby name Godfrey is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈɡɒdfri/ (UK), /ˈɡɑːdfri/ (US); respelling: GOD-free.

Godfrey is French, Germanic in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: French, Germanic
Pronunciation: IPA: /ˈɡɒdfri/ (UK), /ˈɡɑːdfri/ (US); respelling: GOD-free

What is the meaning of the name Godfrey ?

The baby name Godfrey is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈɡɒdfri/ (UK), /ˈɡɑːdfri/ (US); respelling: GOD-free.

Godfrey is French, Germanic in Origin.

Godfrey is the English form of a continental Germanic name composed of god ‘deity’ and frid ‘peace, protection,’ giving the sense ‘God’s peace’ or ‘peace through God.’ It entered England with the Normans as Godefroi/Godefroy and became established in medieval records as both a given name and, later, a surname.

The name’s profile was shaped by Godfrey of Bouillon, leader of the First Crusade and ruler of Jerusalem, ensuring wide medieval popularity. Usage waned after the Middle Ages, with periodic 19th-century revivals; today it reads vintage and rare in the English-speaking world, though it persists in surname form. International variants include French Godefroy, German Gottfried, Italian Goffredo, Spanish/Portuguese Godofredo, Dutch Godfried, Polish Godfryd, and Gaelic forms Gofraidh/Goiridh; diminutives may include Fred or Freddie. Godfrey is frequently confused with Geoffrey/Joffrey, a separate but historically entangled name whose medieval spellings sometimes overlapped.

Godfrey has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Godfrey

Godfrey of Bouillon Royal · Born 1060 · Holy Roman Empire Godfrey of Bouillon was a medieval knight and leader of the First Crusade, becoming one of the most prominent figures in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099. He was named the Defender of the Holy Sepulchre and ruled as the first ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Godfrey Gao Actor · Born 1984 · Canada Godfrey Gao was a Canadian actor best known for his role as Magnus Bane in the film 'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones'. Born in 1984, he made history as the first Asian male model to be the face of Louis Vuitton. Gao's career was tragically cut short when he passed away in 2019 while filming a reality TV show in China.

Godfrey – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 1969 #1 297
BW 0 #18 2 960
BW Boys 0 #32 170 4,685
NA 0 #33 1 2,537
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
ZA Boys 0 #59 7,641 25,619
AF 0 #76 1 1,883
MV Boys 0 #79 1 3,375
CN 0 #85 2 3,857
JM 0 #86 8 3,714
TW 0 #102 2 4,523
QA 0 #103 4 7,011
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
MT Boys 0 #117 62 4,064
KW 0 #120 2 5,216
OM 0 #120 2 6,215
EE Boys 0 #125 1 2,087
BN Boys 0 #138 2 6,332
CR 0 #165 1 5,526
PR Boys 0 #177 2 2,508
AE 0 #186 2 10,220
NA Boys 0 #193 43 6,830
JM Boys 0 #214 59 6,876
NG 0 #218 47 5,926
ZA 0 #219 234 14,421
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
MO Boys 0 #228 7 5,842
GH 0 #242 7 5,396
AO Boys 0 #245 5 5,568
TW Boys 0 #250 7 7,111
NG Boys 0 #259 1,849 16,906
GR Boys 0 #271 3 6,912
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
SG 0 #277 6 11,010
JM Girls 0 #278 1 7,507
Canada Boys 2003 #287 5 2,024
CN Boys 0 #301 19 9,639
JP Boys 0 #302 2 7,909
SA 0 #308 5 10,560
GH Boys 0 #310 36 8,138
DK Boys 0 #327 6 7,401
HK 0 #333 16 8,483
QA Girls 0 #343 1 15,378
MY 0 #351 4 12,352
PH Boys 0 #361 23 11,440
MU Boys 0 #369 1 8,477
JO Boys 0 #388 2 7,057
HK Boys 0 #404 127 12,905
SD Boys 0 #428 18 10,523
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
RU Boys 0 #526 1 12,621
CM Boys 0 #527 24 12,054
BH 0 #544 10 17,937
LY 0 #551 9 12,703
PS Boys 0 #560 2 10,655
AE Girls 0 #596 2 20,968
BD Boys 0 #602 4 10,045
HK Girls 0 #648 3 16,104
CL Boys 0 #650 16 13,390
QA Boys 0 #653 55 18,093
SG Boys 0 #660 38 17,960
Finland Boys 2026 #678 5 3,552
LB 0 #689 2 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #694 4 13,071
NG Girls 0 #697 90 15,093
KW Boys 0 #756 14 18,755
OM Boys 0 #872 10 17,948
United States Boys 2024 #886 7 7,044
Spain Boys 0 #913 18 5,610
PE Boys 0 #918 9 14,506
EG Boys 0 #921 5 15,035
NL Boys 0 #936 16 5,873
Germany Boys 0 #943 10 5,697
CO Boys 0 #978 4 15,656
IN Boys 0 #990 12 16,750
AE Boys 0 #1,000 93 22,615
ZA Girls 0 #1,005 137 25,928
SA Girls 0 #1,013 2 25,931
MX Boys 0 #1,032 2 16,355
MY Boys 0 #1,051 61 25,439
MY Girls 0 #1,071 2 24,821
MA 0 #1,198 2 20,986
DZ 0 #1,232 3 20,130
TR 0 #1,249 6 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,420 52 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,551 64 28,008

Godfrey is popular in 57 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
Canada
Ireland
AE
AF

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People also ask about Godfrey

Godfrey is predominantly a boy's name.
Godfrey is a 2 syllable name, pronounced IPA: /ˈɡɒdfri/ (UK), /ˈɡɑːdfri/ (US); respelling: GOD-free.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Godefroy, Godefroi, Godfrid, Godfrith, Godefridus and Godfried.
Across languages, Godfrey has these equivalents: Gottfried (German), Godefroy / Godefroi (French/Norman), Goffredo (Italian), Godofredo / Godefredo (Spanish/Portuguese), Godfried (Dutch), and 2 more.
Yes, very popular — Godfrey ranked #1 in Ireland in 1969, and appears in official birth registries across 4 countries.
Godfrey ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 1969).
Godfrey's popularity is declining. It moved from #879 in 2014 to #886 in 2024 in United States.
Yes — 2 notable people named Godfrey are in our database, including Godfrey of Bouillon (Royal), Godfrey Gao (Actor).