Total births
5,516
Boys' name · since 1896
Rayford
5,516 babies named Rayford in U.S. Social Security records since 1896, with the highest year being 1937. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 5,516
- total births
- 1896–2025
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 17%
- born in that decade
Rayford is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 5,516 have been recorded since 1896.
Social Security Administration records show Rayford recorded 5,516 times among boys since 1896, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1940s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1896 to 2025.
- 5,516 total births
- 1896–2025 years on record
- 1940s peak decade
- 17% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
5,516 boys have been named Rayford since 1896, peaking in the 1940s, last recorded in 2025.
- 5,516
- total births
- 1896–2025
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 17%
- born in that decade
1940s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Rayford was born in this single decade.
1937
Single peak year
124 babies were named Rayford in 1937 - its busiest year on record.
Rayford's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Rayford's SSA record in two at 1959 and the more recent half accounts for 28% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 72%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1901, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1937 peak of 124, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Rayford at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
1937
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1896
Rayford popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1896–2025
- Peak year (1937)
- 124
- Annual births at peak, across 130 years of records
Rayford by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Rayford's strongest decade.
948 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Rayford births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 8
1890s
8 births
- 1900s 48
1900s
48 births
- 1910s 360
1910s
360 births
- 1920s
1920s
841 births
- 1930s
1930s
923 births
- 1940s
1940s
948 births
- 1950s
1950s
892 births
- 1960s
1960s
641 births
- 1970s 348
1970s
348 births
- 1980s 248
1980s
248 births
- 1990s 131
1990s
131 births
- 2000s 76
2000s
76 births
- 2010s 35
2010s
35 births
- 2020s 17
2020s
17 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 948 births (17% of all-time use).
How Rayford 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 Rayford's total volume
Rayford vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Rayford by state
Where Rayford concentrates geographically, total births since 1896
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 870 | 15.8% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 729 | 13.2% |
| #3 | Mississippi | | 439 | 8.0% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 436 | 7.9% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 408 | 7.4% |
| #6 | South Carolina | | 220 | 4.0% |
| #7 | Louisiana | | 211 | 3.8% |
| #8 | Tennessee | | 47 | 0.9% |
Texas share of Rayford's total US births 15.8%
Even split
870 of 5,516 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 15 reporting states.
Rayford appears in 15 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rayford? ▼
5,516 babies have been named Rayford since 1896. It was last recorded in 2025. The peak year was 1937 with 124 births.
When was Rayford most popular? ▼
Rayford was most popular in the 1940s decade with 948 total births. The single peak year was 1937.
Where is Rayford most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rayford are Texas (870 births), Alabama (729 births), Mississippi (439 births).
How long has the name Rayford been used? ▼
Records for Rayford go back to 1896, giving 130 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Rayford? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Raymond, Ray, Raymundo, Rayan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rayford's data
- Rayford's decade-level peak was the 1940s (948 total births); usage has since declined to 17 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Rayfords (870 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.
Keep exploring Rayford
Nearby Names Like Rayford
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rayford
Raymond Boy
#379 779,794 births
Ray Boy
#777 204,701 births
Raymundo Boy
#2266 9,493 births
Rayan Boy
#579 8,895 births
Raymon Boy
#5461 7,985 births
Compare Rayford side by side: Rayford vs Raymond Rayford vs Ray Rayford vs Raymundo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1896–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rayford: Baby Name Since 1896 - 5,516 Births, Peak 1937." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rayford. 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 Rayford 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.