Boys' name · since 1884

Gilford

1,225 babies named Gilford in U.S. Social Security records since 1884, with the highest year being 1922. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

1,225
total births
1884–1984
years on record
1920s
peak decade
22%
born in that decade

Gilford sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,225 recorded since 1884.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gilford has been recorded 1,225 times among boys since 1884, 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 1884 to 1984.

  • 1,225 total births
  • 1884–1984 years on record
  • 1920s peak decade
  • 22% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

1,225 boys have been named Gilford since 1884, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1984.

1,225
total births
1884–1984
years on record
1920s
peak decade
22%
born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade

22% of everyone ever named Gilford was born in this single decade.

1922
Single peak year

40 babies were named Gilford in 1922 - its busiest year on record.

Gilford's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Gilford's full recorded timeline at 1941, 43% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 57% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1884, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1922 peak of 40 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Gilford at a glance

Last recorded 1984

Total births

1,225

Since 1884

101 years of records

Peak year

1922

40 births that year

Strongest decade: 1920s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 1984

Active since

1884

Recorded for 101 years

Last year on file: 1984

Gilford popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1884–1984

Last recorded 1984
Peak year (1922)
40
Annual births at peak, across 101 years of records
01020304050 188419121922193219421952196219731984 5

Gilford by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1920s was Gilford's strongest decade.

268 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.

Gilford births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 268 births (22% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

How Gilford 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 Gilford's total volume

Gilford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Gilford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15% 050100150 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Gilford
Gilford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Gilford by state

Where Gilford concentrates geographically, total births since 1884

Geographically diffuse
Top 4 states by recorded births for the name Gilford
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Texas
23 1.9%
#2 Kentucky
5 0.4%
#3 Oklahoma
5 0.4%
#4 Tennessee
5 0.4%
Texas share of Gilford's total US births 1.9%
Even split

23 of 1,225 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Gilford?
Gilford has been given to 1,225 babies in the U.S. since 1884, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1984. 40 babies were born in 1922, its single highest year.
When was Gilford most popular?
Gilford was most popular in the 1920s decade with 268 total births. The single peak year was 1922.
Where is Gilford most popular?
The top states for the name Gilford are Texas (23 births), Kentucky (5 births), Oklahoma (5 births).
How long has the name Gilford been used?
The SSA has tracked Gilford since 1884 -- 101 years through the most recent 1984 data.
What names are similar to Gilford?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gilbert, Gilberto, Gil, Giles, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Gilford's data

  • Gilford's decade-level peak was the 1920s (268 total births); usage has since declined to 27 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Texas records the most Gilfords (23 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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.

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, 1884–1984 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gilford: Baby Name Since 1884 - 1,225 Births, Peak 1922." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gilford. 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 Gilford 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.