Boys' name · since 1904
Melford
1,175 babies named Melford in U.S. Social Security records since 1904, with the highest year being 1921. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #4,645 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,175
- born since 1904
- 1920s
- peak decade
1,175 boys have been named Melford since 1904, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Melford has 1,175 recorded births among boys since 1904, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1904 to 1982.
- #4,645 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,175 born since 1904
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Melford ranks #4,645 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,175 born since 1904, peaking in the 1920s.
- #4,645 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,175
- born since 1904
- 1920s
- peak decade
Melford's 1,175 recorded births place it above 89.78% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
7 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Minnesota.
Melford's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Melford splits its recorded history at 1941: 35% of all births land in the more recent half, 65% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1908 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 46 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Melford popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1904–1982
- Peak year (1921)
- 46
- Annual births at peak, across 79 years of records
Melford by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (334 births, 28% of the file).
1920s was Melford's strongest decade.
334 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Melford births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 17
1900s
17 births
- 1910s
1910s
173 births
- 1920s
1920s
334 births
- 1930s
1930s
226 births
- 1940s
1940s
184 births
- 1950s
1950s
135 births
- 1960s 53
1960s
53 births
- 1970s 46
1970s
46 births
- 1980s 7
1980s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 334 births (28% of all-time use).
How Melford 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 Melford's total volume
Melford by state
Where Melford concentrates geographically, total births since 1904
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 21 | 1.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 12 | 1.0% |
| #3 | Wisconsin | | 6 | 0.5% |
| #4 | California | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #5 | Iowa | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #7 | New York | | 5 | 0.4% |
21 of 1,175 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Melford? ▼
Where does Melford sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Melford most popular? ▼
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How long has the name Melford been used? ▼
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What to do with Melford's data
- Melford's decade-level peak was the 1920s (334 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Minnesota records the most Melfords (21 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Melford
Nearby Names Like Melford
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Melford
Compare Melford side by side: Melford vs Melvin Melford vs Melvyn Melford vs Melton
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Melford: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1921)
Similar record span (~78 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, 1904–1982 (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 Melford 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.