duffer

Duffer is a noun and surname with several related uses. In informal English, a duffer is someone who is incompetent or clumsy, especially at a particular activity, such as golf. The sense originated in American English in the 19th or 20th century and commonly connotes good-natured or mildly disparaging humor rather than severe insult. A golf-specific use, referring to a poor golfer, is classic but the general sense has broadened to describe any inept person or amateur.

Etymology of the word is uncertain; it may derive from dialect terms for clumsy behavior or be linked to the verb to duff, meaning to strike badly. It appears in various forms in British and American slang; today it remains more common in informal speech.

As a surname, Duffer has been borne by several individuals and is most widely recognized in contemporary popular culture through the Duffer Brothers, Matt and Ross Duffer. They are American writers, directors, and producers best known for creating the Netflix series Stranger Things, which has contributed to the modern association of the name with creative media rather than its original slang sense.

Duffer as a surname is of English or Scottish origin and is used in various countries, including the United States and Canada. People with the name may be identified by genealogical or biographical context rather than the everyday slang term.