Wilford
Every Wilford since 1880 — 10,447 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Wilford
Wilford is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #8,872 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 10,447 American babies have been named Wilford. Its peak came in 1926, when 276 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Wilford stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Wilford year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 9 | #8,872 |
| 2024 | — | — | 5 | #14,165 |
| 2023 | — | — | 10 | #8,224 |
| 2022 | — | — | 7 | #10,781 |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | 7 | #10,549 |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | 6 | #12,069 |
| 2017 | — | — | 10 | #8,109 |
| 2016 | — | — | 8 | #9,613 |
| 2015 | — | — | 10 | #8,005 |
| 2014 | — | — | 11 | #7,526 |
| 2013 | — | — | 9 | #8,744 |
| 2012 | — | — | 7 | #10,710 |
| 2011 | — | — | 10 | #8,042 |
| 2010 | — | — | 15 | #6,020 |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | 8 | #9,827 |
| 2007 | — | — | 5 | #14,302 |
| 2006 | — | — | 5 | #13,939 |
| 2005 | — | — | 9 | #8,267 |
| 2004 | — | — | 8 | #8,887 |
| 2003 | — | — | 5 | #12,690 |
| 2002 | — | — | 5 | #12,424 |
| 2001 | — | — | 13 | #5,656 |
| 2000 | — | — | 14 | #5,289 |
| 1995 | — | — | 14 | #4,502 |
| 1990 | — | — | 15 | #3,965 |
| 1985 | — | — | 11 | #4,041 |
| 1980 | — | — | 25 | #2,160 |
| 1975 | — | — | 43 | #1,344 |
| 1970 | — | — | 52 | #1,157 |
| 1965 | — | — | 58 | #975 |
| 1960 | — | — | 70 | #910 |
| 1955 | — | — | 116 | #684 |
| 1950 | — | — | 118 | #641 |
| 1945 | — | — | 128 | #529 |
| 1940 | — | — | 143 | #482 |
| 1935 | — | — | 153 | #460 |
| 1930 | — | — | 210 | #400 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,748 | 252 | #375 |
| 1920 | — | — | 249 | #378 |
| 1915 | — | — | 240 | #345 |
| 1910 | — | — | 39 | #446 |
| 1905 | — | — | 25 | #451 |
| 1900 | — | — | 24 | #476 |
| 1895 | — | — | 18 | #489 |
| 1890 | — | — | 16 | #488 |
| 1885 | — | — | 20 | #409 |
| 1880 | — | — | 18 | #424 |
Famous people named Wilford
- Wilford Brimley Actor · 1934–2020
- Wilford Woodruff Politician · 1807–1898
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Wilford in 2025?
Wilford ranked #8,872 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Wilford?
10,447 babies have been named Wilford in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Wilford most popular?
Wilford peaked in 1926, when 276 newborns received the name.
Is Wilford a boy or girl name?
Wilford is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Wilford rising or falling?
Wilford has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Wilford?
Well-known people named Wilford include Wilford Brimley (actor), Wilford Woodruff (politician).