Playford
A whimsical name with origins possibly relating to playful or fun.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Playford. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Playford today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Playford births was 1924 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Playford. 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 Playford. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1924
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1924 SSA rank
#4,819
Tracked since 1924
Popularity
Playford: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Playford 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 Playford 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 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Playford
The name Playford has its roots in Old English, originating from the combination of two words: "plæg" meaning "play" or "sport," and "ford," referring to a shallow crossing of a river. This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who lived near a ford or crossing point where people would gather for recreational activities.
In the medieval period, the name Playford was primarily found in England, particularly in the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk. It was used as a surname for those who hailed from the village of Playford, located in Suffolk. The earliest recorded use of Playford as a first name dates back to the 13th century.
One of the earliest notable individuals bearing the name Playford was John Playford (c. 1623-1686), an English music publisher and composer. He is best known for publishing a series of music books, including "The English Dancing Master," which became a significant source for traditional English folk tunes.
Another historical figure with the name Playford was Sir Thomas Playford (1896-1977), an Australian politician who served as the Premier of South Australia from 1938 to 1965. He remains the longest-serving Premier in South Australian history and was a prominent figure in the state's political and economic development during his tenure.
In the realm of literature, there is Henry Playford (1657-1709), an English ecclesiastical writer and author of several religious works, including "The Whole Book of Psalms" and "A Paraphrase upon the Books of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon."
The name Playford also appears in the arts, with Robert Playford (1763-1838), an English artist and engraver known for his topographical prints and views of London and other cities.
Finally, in the field of science, we find Edward Playford (1829-1894), an Australian geologist and explorer who made significant contributions to the geological survey and mapping of Western Australia in the 19th century.
While the name Playford may not be among the most common first names today, its historical significance and connection to various notable individuals across different fields highlight its rich heritage and enduring legacy.
People
Playford + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Playford as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Playford: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Playford?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Playford 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 Playford a common name?
We classify Playford 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, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Playford most popular?
The single biggest year for Playford was 1924, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Playford 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 Playford in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Playford a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Playford 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 Playford still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Playford 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 Playford 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 people are called Playford?
See how many people share the name Playford on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.