Boys' name · since 1913
Willford
Willford has 146 recorded births since 1913 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1942 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #14,957 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 146
- born since 1913
- 1920s
- peak decade
Willford is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 146 have been recorded since 1913.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Willford has been recorded 146 times among boys since 1913, 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 1913 to 1948.
- #14,957 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 146 born since 1913
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Willford ranks #14,957 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 146 born since 1913, peaking in the 1920s.
- #14,957 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 146
- born since 1913
- 1920s
- peak decade
Willford's 146 recorded births place it above 67.11% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Willford's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Willford splits its recorded history at 1927: 52% of all births land in the more recent half, 48% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1915 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1942 peak of 11 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Willford popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–1948
- Peak year (1942)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 36 years of records
Willford by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (56 births, 38% of the file).
1920s was Willford's strongest decade.
56 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Willford births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
29 births
- 1920s
1920s
56 births
- 1930s
1930s
26 births
- 1940s
1940s
35 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 56 births (38% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Willford's data
- Willford's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (56 total births) through the 1940s (35) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Willford
Nearby Names Like Willford
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Willford
Compare Willford side by side: Willford vs William Willford vs Willie Willford vs Willard
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Willford: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1942)
Similar record span (~35 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, 1913–1948 (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 Willford 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.