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.
- #4,511 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,225
- born since 1884
- 1920s
- peak 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.
- #4,511 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,225 born since 1884
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gilford ranks #4,511 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,225 born since 1884, peaking in the 1920s.
- #4,511 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,225
- born since 1884
- 1920s
- peak decade
Gilford's 1,225 recorded births place it above 90.08% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 4 jurisdictions, led by Texas.
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 popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1884–1984
- Peak year (1922)
- 40
- Annual births at peak, across 101 years of records
Gilford by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (268 births, 22% of the file).
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
- 1880s 15
1880s
15 births
- 1890s 15
1890s
15 births
- 1900s 17
1900s
17 births
- 1910s
1910s
164 births
- 1920s
1920s
268 births
- 1930s
1930s
197 births
- 1940s
1940s
162 births
- 1950s
1950s
198 births
- 1960s
1960s
110 births
- 1970s 52
1970s
52 births
- 1980s 27
1980s
27 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 268 births (22% of all-time use).
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 by state
Where Gilford concentrates geographically, total births since 1884
| 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% |
23 of 1,225 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gilford? ▼
Where does Gilford sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Gilford most popular? ▼
Where is Gilford most popular? ▼
How long has the name Gilford been used? ▼
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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
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gilford
Nearby Names Like Gilford
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gilford
Compare Gilford side by side: Gilford vs Gilbert Gilford vs Gilberto Gilford vs Gil
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Gilford: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1922)
Similar record span (~100 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, 1884–1984 (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 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 August 2026.