Leaford
An invented name composed of "leaf" and a suffix implying noble status.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Leaford. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Leaford today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leaford births was 1921 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leaford. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Leaford. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1921
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1925 SSA rank
#4,602
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Leaford: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Leaford by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Leaford during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Leaford
The name Leaford has its origins in the ancient Germanic language, tracing back to the 5th century AD. It is derived from the Old Germanic words "leof," meaning "dear" or "beloved," and "ord," signifying "point" or "spearhead." This combination suggests that the name may have initially referred to a cherished or valued leader or warrior.
During the Middle Ages, the name gained popularity among various Germanic tribes that inhabited present-day regions of Germany, the Netherlands, and parts of northern France. It was often used to honor individuals who displayed exceptional bravery or leadership qualities on the battlefield or within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Leaford can be found in the Nibelungenlied, an epic poem from the 13th century. Here, a character by the name of Leaford is described as a valiant knight in the service of the legendary hero Siegfried. This literary reference suggests that the name had already gained recognition and prestige by that time.
Throughout the centuries, several notable figures have borne the name Leaford. One such individual was Leaford the Wise (c. 1120-1189), a renowned scholar and philosopher from the Holy Roman Empire. His writings on theology and ethics greatly influenced the intellectual discourse of his era.
Another prominent figure was Leaford of Saxony (c. 1285-1342), a military commander who played a crucial role in the Hundred Years' War between England and France. His strategic brilliance and unwavering leadership earned him a place in the annals of medieval history.
In the 16th century, Leaford van der Meer (1503-1567) was a Dutch merchant and explorer who established trade routes between Europe and the Far East. His voyages and contributions to the expansion of global commerce left a lasting impact on the economic landscape of the time.
The name Leaford also found its way into the annals of religious history with Leaford the Illuminated (c. 1670-1738), a renowned monk and theologian from Bavaria. His scholarly works on spirituality and mysticism were widely acclaimed and influenced generations of religious thinkers.
Leaford Blackwood (1819-1892), a British politician and social reformer, was another notable figure who bore this name. He played a pivotal role in advocating for workers' rights and improved living conditions during the Industrial Revolution, leaving a lasting legacy in the realm of social justice.
People
Leaford + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leaford as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Leaford: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leaford?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leaford going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Leaford a common name?
We classify Leaford as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leaford most popular?
The single biggest year for Leaford was 1921, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leaford is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Leaford in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Leaford a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leaford in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Leaford still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Leaford in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Leaford can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Leaford?
Want to know how many Americans are named Leaford? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.