"Times have been tough lately - and when I say "lately," I mean roughly the past 35 years - for me and my fellow Jeffreys of the world. From the early 1990s infamy of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer to the deplorable actions of Jeffrey Epstein, my first name has been dragged through enough mud to induce cringes from most people upon its mere mention."
"Those who know me know that I go by Jeff in my day-to-day life. As a college journalist at Rutgers University, I used the shortened name as my byline for The Daily Targum, the student newspaper. After I graduated, "Jeff" started to feel too informal as a way to present myself in the working world. So from that point forward, on résumés and job applications, on magazine mastheads and business cards, I've steadfastly stood behind "Jeffrey.""
A man named Jeffrey recounts how his name has carried negative associations for roughly 35 years because of infamous figures like Jeffrey Dahmer and Jeffrey Epstein. He describes the recurring decision to introduce himself as 'Jeff' or 'Jeffrey' and the tension between informality and professionalism. He explains adopting 'Jeffrey' on résumés, job applications, mastheads, and business cards despite preferring 'Jeff' socially. He questions whether using the formal name could hinder job prospects and consulted a recruiter, who said name-based judgments were rare and indicated such bias would be a red flag. The name chosen can influence career trajectory.
Read at Business Insider
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