Bradford
Bradford is a name of Old English origin. It particularly refers to those from the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire. Notable people and characters with the name include:
Meaning & Origin of Bradford
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Bradford is a name of Old English origin. It particularly refers to those from the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire. Notable people and characters with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Bradford
Bradford first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1953, when 780 Bradfords were born — ranking #240 that year. As of 2026, Bradford ranks #3,058 for baby boys with 40 births, falling sharply (-25%). In total, more than 32K Bradfords have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Bradford
Phonetically similar names — useful when Bradford is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bradford
What does the name Bradford mean?
How popular is Bradford in 2026?
When was Bradford most popular?
In which U.S. states is Bradford most popular?
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About the name Bradford
Bradford is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 32K births in the dataset. Bradford's peak popularity came in 1953 when it ranked #240. Use the chart and map above to compare Bradford's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1953 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.