The first name Godfrey
A boy’s name from German meaning “peace of god”.
Pronounced /ˈɡɑdfɹi/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
German origin
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Godfrey last appeared in the official list in 2018, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 2006, with 8 births (#2,087).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Godfrey with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Godfrey at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 10 boys born in the United States were named Godfrey, the 7,850th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 71 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Godfrey in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Famous people named Godfrey
18 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Godfrey HounsfieldEnglish electrical engineer (1919–2004)
- Godfrey KnellerGerman-born British painter (1646–1723)
- Godfrey BrownAthletics competitor (1915–1995)
- Godfrey RamplingEnglish army officer and Olympic medalist (1909–2009)
- Godfrey I, Count of NamurCount of Château-Porcéan and Namur, 1068–1139
- Charles Godfrey LelandAmerican folklorist (1824-1903)
- Godfrey ReggioFilmmaker (born 1940)
- Godfrey BloomBritish politician, born 1949
- Godfrey CambridgeAmerican stand-up comedian (1933-1976)
- Godfrey TearleBritish actor (1884-1953)
- Sir Godfrey Copley, 2nd BaronetBritish landowner and MP. (1653-1709)
- GodfreyAmerican comedian, born 1969
More German boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Godfrey mean?
- Godfrey means “peace of god” in German.
- What is the origin of the name Godfrey?
- From Old French Godefrei, from Old High German Godafrid (“peace of God”), from Proto-Germanic *Gudafriþuz. Equivalent to god + frith. Doublet of Gottfried and Geoffrey.
- How popular is the name Godfrey?
- In 2018, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Godfrey, ranking 4,749th. Its peak was 2006, with 8 births.
- Is Godfrey a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 3,245 US babies named Godfrey since 1880 were boys.
- When was Godfrey most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 71 babies were named Godfrey, its highest rank at 776th.
- How do you pronounce Godfrey?
- Godfrey is /ˈɡɑdfɹi/, 2 syllables.
- Is Godfrey also a surname?
- Yes. Godfrey is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.