Stanford
Meaningstony ford · Old English
- US rank
- #6,803
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #503 in 1931
12 babies were named Stanford in the US in 2025. It has dropped 507 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Stanford you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Stanford
Stanford Moore
American biochemist (1913-1982)
Choose Stanford and your child shares a first name with Stanford Moore, an American biochemist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Stanford, like who?” Stanford Moore's Wikipedia article is available in 54 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Stanford Moore on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 142,857 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Stanford, 12 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Stanford would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryStanford has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Stanfords, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1931, when it ranked #503. Today it's #6,803, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendStanford has slipped 507 places over the last five years and now sits at #6,803. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- MeaningIn Old English, Stanford means “stony ford”.
About the name Stanford
Stanford is a boy name of English origin meaning “stony ford”. It has 8 letters and 2 syllables, starting with S and ending in “-ord”. US birth records list Stanford for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 131 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1931, when it ranked #503 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #6,803, with 12 babies.
Origin:English names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 11 | 88,106 boys |
| 1890s | 25 | 39,825 boys |
| 1900s | 74 | 13,559 boys |
| 1910s | 100 | 10,009 boys |
| 1920s | 96 | 10,444 boys |
| 1930s | 91 | 10,991 boys |
| 1940s | 66 | 15,078 boys |
| 1950s | 59 | 16,909 boys |
| 1960s | 49 | 20,563 boys |
| 1970s | 35 | 28,337 boys |
| 1980s | 25 | 40,469 boys |
| 1990s | 17 | 58,582 boys |
| 2000s | 9.3 | 107,759 boys |
| 2010s | 7.9 | 126,582 boys |
| 2020s | 8.0 | 125,261 boys |
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Stanford
What does the name Stanford mean?
Stanford means “stony ford” in Old English.
What is the origin of the name Stanford?
Stanford has English roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Stanford a boy or girl name?
Stanford is a boy name.
How popular is the name Stanford?
Stanford ranked #6,803 for US boys in 2025, given to 12 babies. Its best year was 1931 (#503).