Boys' name · since 1911

Medford

665 babies named Medford in U.S. Social Security records since 1911, with the highest year being 1924. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

665
total births
1911–1980
years on record
1920s
peak decade
32%
born in that decade

Medford sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 665 recorded since 1911.

Social Security Administration records show Medford recorded 665 times among boys since 1911, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1911 to 1980.

  • 665 total births
  • 1911–1980 years on record
  • 1920s peak decade
  • 32% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

665 boys have been named Medford since 1911, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1980.

665
total births
1911–1980
years on record
1920s
peak decade
32%
born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade

32% of everyone ever named Medford was born in this single decade.

1924
Single peak year

35 babies were named Medford in 1924 - its busiest year on record.

Medford's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Medford splits its recorded history at 1937: 36% of all births land in the more recent half, 64% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1911 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1924 peak of 35 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Medford at a glance

Last recorded 1980

Total births

665

Since 1911

70 years of records

Peak year

1924

35 births that year

Strongest decade: 1920s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 1980

Active since

1911

Recorded for 70 years

Last year on file: 1980

Medford popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1911–1980

Last recorded 1980
Peak year (1924)
35
Annual births at peak, across 70 years of records
010203040 191119181925193219391946195419641980 5

Medford by decade

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

1920s was Medford's strongest decade.

214 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.

Medford births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 214 births (32% of all-time use).

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

How Medford 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 Medford's total volume

Medford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Medford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15%20% 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 Medford
Medford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Medford by state

Where Medford concentrates geographically, total births since 1911

Geographically diffuse
Top 2 states by recorded births for the name Medford
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Maryland
10 1.5%
#2 Illinois
5 0.8%
Maryland share of Medford's total US births 1.5%
Even split

10 of 665 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Medford?
665 babies have been named Medford since 1911. It was last recorded in 1980. The peak year was 1924 with 35 births.
When was Medford most popular?
Medford was most popular in the 1920s decade with 214 total births. The single peak year was 1924.
Where is Medford most popular?
The top states for the name Medford are Maryland (10 births), Illinois (5 births).
How long has the name Medford been used?
The SSA has tracked Medford since 1911 -- 70 years through the most recent 1980 data.
What names are similar to Medford?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Medardo, Medhansh, Medard, Medgar, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Medford's data

  • Medford's decade-level peak was the 1920s (214 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Maryland records the most Medfords (10 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Maryland 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, 1911–1980 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

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

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Medford: Baby Name Since 1911 - 665 Births, Peak 1924." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/medford. 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 Medford 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.