Willford
Will's bright meadow; a name of English origin.
Name Census estimates that about 23 living Americans carry the first name Willford. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Willford today is around 87 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Willford births was 1942 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Willford. 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
- • The typical person named Willford is about 87 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Willfords were born before 1949.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Willford. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
23
~ 1 in 14,902,363 Americans
Peak year
1942
11 babies that year
Average age
87
years old
1948 SSA rank
#4,188
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Willford: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Willford from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 56 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Willford remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Willford 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 Willford during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Willford
The name Willford is of Old English origin, derived from the combination of two words: "will" meaning desire or resolution, and "ford" meaning a shallow place where a river or stream can be crossed. This suggests that the name may have originated among Anglo-Saxon communities near river crossings or fords.
The earliest recorded mention of the name Willford can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. It appears in the records as a surname, suggesting that it may have initially been a locational name given to someone who lived near a ford.
In the 12th century, the name gained popularity as a given name, particularly among the nobility and upper classes. One notable figure was Willford de Montfort, a Norman knight who fought alongside Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade (1189-1192). He was born around 1165 and died in 1213.
Another historical figure bearing the name Willford was Willford of Anjou, a French scholar and theologian from the 13th century. He was born in 1201 and is known for his commentaries on the works of Aristotle and his contributions to the development of scholastic philosophy.
In the 14th century, a Willford de Wycliffe was a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Yorkshire, England. He was born in 1325 and is believed to be a relative of the famous religious reformer John Wycliffe.
During the Renaissance period, a notable Willford was Willford Raleigh, an English poet and courtier who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He was born in 1552 and is best known for his poetry, including the famous work "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd."
In the 17th century, Willford Byrd was an English composer and musician who made significant contributions to the development of English baroque music. He was born in 1623 and is remembered for his sacred and secular vocal works, as well as his keyboard compositions.
These examples illustrate the historical presence of the name Willford across various periods and contexts, from the nobility and clergy to scholars, landowners, and artists. While not as common as some other names, Willford has a rich and varied history that reflects its Old English roots and the diverse individuals who have borne it over the centuries.
People
Willford + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Willford as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Willford: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Willford?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 23 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Willford 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 14,902,363 US residents.
Is Willford a common name?
We classify Willford as "Very Rare". It ranks above 42.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 146 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Willford most popular?
The single biggest year for Willford was 1942, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Willford is about 87 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 Willford in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Willford a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Willford 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 Willford still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Willford 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 Willford 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 have Willford as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Willford on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.