Rayford
A masculine name of English origin meaning "red ford" or "red river crossing".
Name Census estimates that about 2,746 living Americans carry the first name Rayford. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rayford today is around 64 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rayford births was 1937 (124 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rayford. 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.
People living today
2.7K
~ 1 in 124,819 Americans
Peak year
1937
124 babies that year
Average age
64
years old
2023 SSA rank
#11,929
Tracked since 1896
Popularity
Rayford: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rayford from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 948 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1940s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rayford 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 Rayford during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rayfords live
The SSA's state-level files cover 15 states and territories. Texas, Alabama, Mississippi recorded the most babies named Rayford, while Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 232 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rayford
The name Rayford is of English origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a combination of the Old English words "ræd" meaning counsel or advice and "ford" meaning a shallow place where a river can be crossed. The name was likely used to refer to someone who lived near a ford and provided counsel or guidance to travelers crossing the river.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in several historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, where a person named Rayford de Wyke was mentioned. This early mention suggests that the name was already in use among the English population during that time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Rayford was Sir Rayford de Camville, a 13th-century English knight who fought in the Barons' War against King Henry III. He was a prominent figure in the conflict and was eventually captured and imprisoned at Wallingford Castle.
Another notable person with the name Rayford was Rayford de Sallay, a 14th-century English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in 1377. He was involved in local governance and represented the interests of his constituents in the House of Commons.
In the 16th century, a man named Rayford Thynne was a member of the gentry in Wiltshire, England. He was known for his involvement in local affairs and served as a Justice of the Peace in the county.
During the 17th century, Rayford Haselwood was a prominent merchant and landowner in Bristol, England. He was a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers, a prestigious organization that played a significant role in the city's maritime trade.
In the 18th century, Rayford Smythe was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War. He participated in several notable battles and was commended for his bravery and leadership.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Rayford. While the name may not be as common today, it has a rich history and has been carried by people from various walks of life, including knights, politicians, merchants, and military officers.
People
Rayford + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rayford as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rayford: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rayford?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,746 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rayford 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 1 in 124,819 US residents.
Is Rayford a common name?
We classify Rayford as "Rare". It ranks above 94.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5,511 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rayford most popular?
The single biggest year for Rayford was 1937, when 124 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rayford is about 64 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rayford a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rayford 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.
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.