Total births
32,075
Boys' name · since 1880
Bradford
Bradford has 32,075 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1953 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2961
- among boys today
- 32,075
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 79%
- more common than other boys
32,075 babies have been named Bradford since 1880, making it today's #2961 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Bradford recorded 32,075 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #2961 nationally today, ahead of 79% of boys, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #2961 among boys today
- 32,075 born since 1880
- 1950s peak decade
- 79% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Bradford is currently the #2961 boys' name in America, more common than 79% of boys - 32,075 born since 1880, peaking in the 1950s.
- #2961
- among boys today
- 32,075
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 79%
- more common than other boys
Bradford vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2961
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 79% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Bradford was born in this single decade.
1953
Single peak year
779 babies were named Bradford in 1953 - its busiest year on record.
How Bradford compares
32,075 Top 5% higher than 95% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Bradford's all-time total is 87x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Bradford | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 32,075 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 779 | 23 | 22,252 |
Bradford's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Bradford's SSA record in two at 1958 and the more recent half accounts for 68% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 32%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1880, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1953 peak of 779, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Bradford at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1953
Current rank
#2,961
Active since
1880
Bradford popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1953)
- 779
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Bradford popularity over time - girls
39 total births recorded since 1955 (Bradford as girls' name)
Bradford by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Bradford's strongest decade.
6,693 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Bradford births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 20
1880s
20 births
- 1890s 59
1890s
59 births
- 1900s 86
1900s
86 births
- 1910s 513
1910s
513 births
- 1920s 818
1920s
818 births
- 1930s 998
1930s
998 births
- 1940s 2,418
1940s
2,418 births
- 1950s
1950s
6,693 births
- 1960s
1960s
5,794 births
- 1970s
1970s
5,710 births
- 1980s
1980s
4,745 births
- 1990s 2,292
1990s
2,292 births
- 2000s 976
2000s
976 births
- 2010s 689
2010s
689 births
- 2020s 264
2020s
264 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 6,693 births (21% of all-time use).
How Bradford compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Bradford's total volume
Bradford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Bradford by state
Where Bradford concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Massachusetts | | 2,733 | 8.5% |
| #2 | California | | 2,714 | 8.5% |
| #3 | New York | | 1,727 | 5.4% |
| #4 | Texas | | 1,364 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 1,351 | 4.2% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 1,242 | 3.9% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 1,188 | 3.7% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 1,151 | 3.6% |
Massachusetts share of Bradford's total US births 8.5%
Even split
2,733 of 32,075 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 48 reporting states.
Bradford appears in 48 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Bradford? ▼
Bradford has been given to 32,075 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #2961 as of the latest data. 779 babies were born in 1953, its single highest year.
When was Bradford most popular? ▼
Bradford was most popular in the 1950s decade with 6,693 total births. The single peak year was 1953.
Where is Bradford most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Bradford are Massachusetts (2,733 births), California (2,714 births), New York (1,727 births).
How long has the name Bradford been used? ▼
Records for Bradford go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Bradford? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Brandon, Bradley, Brayden, Brady, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Bradford's data
- Bradford's decade-level peak was the 1950s (6,693 total births); usage has since declined to 264 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Massachusetts records the most Bradfords (2,733 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Massachusetts names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Bradford
Nearby Names Like Bradford
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bradford
Brandon Boy
#230 770,509 births
Bradley Boy
#362 313,008 births
Brayden Boy
#190 136,548 births
Brady Boy
#309 96,770 births
Brad Boy
#4077 83,060 births
Compare Bradford side by side: Bradford vs Brandon Bradford vs Bradley Bradford vs Brayden
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Bradford
Ike #2960
7,342 births · Peak 1953
Weldon #2962
14,249 births · Peak 1920
Wilbur #2959
56,906 births · Peak 1918
Elden #2963
5,921 births · Peak 1922
Willard #2958
77,658 births · Peak 1915
Britton #2964
6,337 births · Peak 2006
Keylor #2957
738 births · Peak 2022
Abelardo #2965
4,816 births · Peak 2002
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Bradford: #2961 Boys' Name - 32,075 Births, Peak 1953." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/bradford. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Bradford draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.