Boys' name · since 1880

Milford

8,198 babies named Milford in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1921. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

8,198
total births
1880–2023
years on record
1920s
peak decade
26%
born in that decade

Milford sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 8,198 recorded since 1880.

Social Security Administration records show Milford recorded 8,198 times among boys since 1880, 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 1880 to 2023.

  • 8,198 total births
  • 1880–2023 years on record
  • 1920s peak decade
  • 26% born in that decade

Data updated Jul 2026

Upper archive tier
All-time archive position

Milford's 8,198 recorded births place it above 97% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

31 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

31 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Alabama.

Milford's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Milford splits its recorded history at 1938: 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 1891 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 234 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Milford popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2023

Last recorded 2023
Peak year (1921)
234
Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
-1000100200300 188018951910192519401955197019852023 6

Milford popularity over time - girls

13 total births recorded since 1923 (Milford as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 13 births
5.566.577.5 19231935 6

Milford by decade

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

1920s was Milford's strongest decade.

2,172 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.

Milford births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 2,172 births (26% of all-time use).

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

How Milford 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 Milford's total volume

Milford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Milford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%2%4%6%8%10%12% 050100150200 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 Milford
Milford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Milford by state

Where Milford concentrates geographically, total births since 1880

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Milford
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Alabama
418 5.1%
#2 New York
405 4.9%
#3 Pennsylvania
356 4.3%
#4 Missouri
340 4.1%
#5 Texas
338 4.1%
#6 Kentucky
295 3.6%
#7 Michigan
262 3.2%
#8 North Carolina
235 2.9%
Alabama share of Milford's total US births 5.1%
Even split

418 of 8,198 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 31 reporting states.

Milford appears in 31 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Milford?
Milford has been given to 8,198 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2023. 234 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Milford most popular?
Milford was most popular in the 1920s decade with 2,172 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Milford most popular?
The top states for the name Milford are Alabama (418 births), New York (405 births), Pennsylvania (356 births).
How long has the name Milford been used?
The SSA has tracked Milford since 1880 -- 144 years through the most recent 2023 data.
What names are similar to Milford?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Miles, Milton, Milo, Milan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Milford's data

  • Milford's decade-level peak was the 1920s (2,172 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Alabama records the most Milfords (418 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Alabama 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 July 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, 1880–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

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

Cite this page

NameAlmanac. "Milford: Baby Name Since 1880 - 8,198 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/milford. 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 Milford 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 July 2026.