Names That Mean Pledge
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The names
Jeffrey
Spelling variation of Geoffrey
"pledge of peace"
The mostly Americanized version of Geoffrey was a trendy mid-century hit, with nickname Jeff the epitome of cool. Jeffrey entered the pop list in 1934 and was a Top 20 name from the mid-fifties to…
Gage
French
"oath, pledge"
Gage was part of the craze for one-syllable surnames, with associations to tasty green gage plums and the mathematical gauge. Gage was first noticed as a character in Stephen King's Pet Semetary…
Geoffrey
Anglo-Saxon from French
"pledge of peace"
In the US, this spelling is less common than mid-century favorite Jeffrey, and it has faded from popularity faster. This more British spelling is the usual form for historical figures like Geoffrey…
Jeff
Diminutive of Jeffrey, Jefferson
"pledge of peace"
The ultimate dad name.
Gilbert
German
"shining pledge"
Considered ultra debonair in the silent-movie era, Gilbert then went through a nerdy phase, a la Gilbert Gottfried. Now though, like Albert and Alfred and Walter and Frank, it could be in for a style…
Giotto
Italian variation of Godfrey or Geoffrey
"pledge of peace"
This appealing Italian name is associated with the great Florentine painter and architect Giotto di Bondone, a major force in the Italian Renaissance.
Homer
Greek
"security, hostage, pledge"
Homer is a name of two halves, associated with the ancient Greek poet of the epic Odyssey and with the (often) doltish patriarch of The Simpsons . So does that make Homer a classic and scholarly…
Arliss
Hebrew
"pledge"
Best remembered as one of the boys in "Old Yeller" and the title of a late 1990s HBO sitcom, "Arliss," featuring sports agent Arliss Michaels. Also sometimes heard as a girl's name and a surname (as…
Fitzgibbon
English surname
"son of Gilbert, son of the shining pledge"
Fitzgibbon comes from the obsolete name Gibbon, a diminutive of Gib, which is a medieval short form of Gilbert. That makes Fitzgibbon a subtle way to honor an ancestral Gilbert — you could always…
Omero
Spanish form of Homer, Greek
"security, pledge"
Omero lifts Homer out of both The Simpsons and The Odyssey, making it a romantic name ala Romeo. Some sources give the meaning of Omero and Homer as "hostage".
Gisbert
German
"bright pledge or spear"
Probably related to Gilbert, from the same Germanic root: gisil , meaning "pledge" or "hostage". The Gis- syllable may also derive from Celtic gaiso "spear".
Gijsbert
Dutch
"bright pledge or spear"
Dutch form of Gisbert
Arliss
Hebrew
"pledge"
Arliss is most famous as the name of a few high-profile male characters, though it can just as easily work for a baby girl.
Jip
Frisian diminutive of Gijsbert, Dutch
"shining pledge"
In the well-known Dutch children's book series Jip and Janneke, Jip is a boy, but this cutesy nickname name can traditionally be used on both girls and boys.
Gesa
German and Frisian
"spear or pledge"
Originally a short form of names beginning with either of the elements gêr "spear" or gisil "pledge, hostage". Now usually a short form of Gertrud.
Gesina
German and Dutch
"spear or pledge"
Fresher diminutive form of Gertrud
Adalgisa
Germanic
"noble spear or pledge"
This weighty ancient name could be the perfect fits-in-stands-out choice for fans the increasingly fashionable group of girls' names that both start and end in A. The second element gis may come from…
Arlise
Irish
"pledge"
This feminine form of Arliss, is familiar via the recent HBO series. But why not just use Arliss?
Geffri
Variation of Geoffrey, Anglo-Saxon from French
"pledge of peace"
Actress Geffri Maya Hightower, known for her roles in Private Practice and All American , introduced fans to her one-of-a-kind feminization of the hit mid-century boy name Jeffrey. So far, her name…
Ghislaine
French from German
"pledge"
Ghislaine still sounds unusual to us, even though in France this name is dated. It can also be spelled Ghislain. In the US, it is best known through association to Ghislaine Maxwell, the…