Goff
Goff is a surname of Celtic origin. It is the 946th most common family name in the United States. When the surname originates from England it is derived from an occupational name from Welsh, Cornish or Breton. The Welsh gof and the Breton goff means "smith". The English-originating surname is common in East Anglia, where it is of Breton origin.
Meaning & Origin of Goff
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Goff is a surname of Celtic origin. It is the 946th most common family name in the United States. When the surname originates from England it is derived from an occupational name from Welsh, Cornish or Breton. The Welsh gof and the Breton goff means "smith". The English-originating surname is common in East Anglia, where it is of Breton origin.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Goff
Goff first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1888, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 6 Goffs were born — ranking #3,815 that year. As of 2026, Goff ranks #3,815 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 11 Goffs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Goff
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Barbara Goff , classics professor
- Bruce Goff , architect
- Darius Goff (1809–1891), industrialist and businessman
- Frederick R. Goff (1916–1982), librarian
- Greg Goff , American college baseball coach
- Guy D. Goff (1866–1933), US Senator from West Virginia
- H. N. Goff , American politician and businessman
- Harper Goff , American artist, musician, and actor
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Goff
Phonetically similar names — useful when Goff is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Gough
- Goffe
- Goof
- Gaff
- Gif
- Gaffe
- Gof
- Guff
- Gaf
- Giff
- Guf
- Gafe
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Goff
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About the name Goff
Goff is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1888 and has accumulated 11 births in the dataset. Goff's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #3,815. Use the chart and map above to compare Goff's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.