Boys' name · since 1891
Gifford
1,452 babies named Gifford in U.S. Social Security records since 1891, with the highest year being 1920. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #4,047 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,452
- born since 1891
- 1920s
- peak decade
Gifford sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,452 recorded since 1891.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gifford has been recorded 1,452 times among boys since 1891, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1891 to 2017.
- #4,047 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,452 born since 1891
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gifford ranks #4,047 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,452 born since 1891, peaking in the 1920s.
- #4,047 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,452
- born since 1891
- 1920s
- peak decade
Gifford's 1,452 recorded births place it above 91.09% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by New York.
Gifford's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Gifford splits its recorded history at 1950: 38% of all births land in the more recent half, 62% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1897 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1920 peak of 40 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Gifford popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1891–2017
- Peak year (1920)
- 40
- Annual births at peak, across 127 years of records
Gifford by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (281 births, 19% of the file).
1920s was Gifford's strongest decade.
281 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Gifford births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 19
1890s
19 births
- 1900s 21
1900s
21 births
- 1910s
1910s
196 births
- 1920s
1920s
281 births
- 1930s
1930s
194 births
- 1940s
1940s
186 births
- 1950s
1950s
190 births
- 1960s
1960s
144 births
- 1970s 98
1970s
98 births
- 1980s 80
1980s
80 births
- 1990s 27
1990s
27 births
- 2010s 16
2010s
16 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 281 births (19% of all-time use).
How Gifford 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 Gifford's total volume
Gifford by state
Where Gifford concentrates geographically, total births since 1891
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 34 | 2.3% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 19 | 1.3% |
| #3 | California | | 5 | 0.3% |
34 of 1,452 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Gifford's data
- Gifford's decade-level peak was the 1920s (281 total births); usage has since declined to 16 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Giffords (34 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gifford
Nearby Names Like Gifford
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gifford
Compare Gifford side by side: Gifford vs Gift Gifford vs Gifted
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Gifford: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1920)
Similar record span (~126 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1891–2017 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Gifford 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 August 2026.