Meaning and history
Gottfried is a German masculine name formed from Germanic elements meaning “God” and “peace,” giving the traditional interpretation “peace of God.” Its Norman French cognate gave rise to Geoffrey. Medieval bearers include Gottfried von Strassburg, author of the courtly romance Tristan. The name also appears in philosophy and mathematics through German polymath Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, co-developer of calculus, and in modern literature through Swiss writer Gottfried Keller.