Some theories regarding optimal syllabic structure would point towards the hard "G" pronunciation. For me, personally, "jiff" (a la "Jif") is peanut butter. "

Some theories regarding optimal syllabic structure would point towards the hard "G" pronunciation. For me, personally, "jiff" (a la "Jif") is peanut butter. "gif" is, by contrast, a distinct sound that doesn't overlap with anything I already know.