Bradford
A male given name transferred from the surname, of mostly American usage.
Every Bradford since 1880 — 32,114 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bradford
Bradford is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,522 in 2025 with 32 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 32,114 American babies have been named Bradford. Its peak came in 1953, when 779 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Bradford stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bradford 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 | — | — | 32 | #3,522 |
| 2024 | — | — | 42 | #2,965 |
| 2023 | — | — | 49 | #2,662 |
| 2022 | — | — | 42 | #2,972 |
| 2021 | — | — | 49 | #2,631 |
| 2020 | — | — | 50 | #2,553 |
| 2019 | — | — | 48 | #2,663 |
| 2018 | — | — | 67 | #2,103 |
| 2017 | — | — | 70 | #2,018 |
| 2016 | — | — | 68 | #2,068 |
| 2015 | — | — | 63 | #2,171 |
| 2014 | — | — | 77 | #1,886 |
| 2013 | — | — | 64 | #2,093 |
| 2012 | — | — | 81 | #1,821 |
| 2011 | — | — | 73 | #1,907 |
| 2010 | — | — | 78 | #1,852 |
| 2009 | — | — | 76 | #1,895 |
| 2008 | — | — | 57 | #2,296 |
| 2007 | — | — | 99 | #1,578 |
| 2006 | — | — | 95 | #1,552 |
| 2005 | — | — | 97 | #1,486 |
| 2004 | — | — | 99 | #1,425 |
| 2003 | — | — | 102 | #1,344 |
| 2002 | — | — | 125 | #1,140 |
| 2001 | — | — | 103 | #1,284 |
| 2000 | — | — | 123 | #1,130 |
| 1995 | — | — | 216 | #727 |
| 1990 | — | — | 304 | #581 |
| 1985 | — | — | 453 | #398 |
| 1980 | — | — | 630 | #308 |
| 1975 | 8 | #6,553 | 555 | #323 |
| 1970 | — | — | 612 | #318 |
| 1965 | — | — | 581 | #316 |
| 1960 | — | — | 667 | #298 |
| 1955 | 5 | #5,912 | 700 | #267 |
| 1950 | — | — | 576 | #275 |
| 1945 | — | — | 184 | #440 |
| 1940 | — | — | 126 | #517 |
| 1935 | — | — | 92 | #606 |
| 1930 | — | — | 88 | #662 |
| 1925 | — | — | 76 | #755 |
| 1920 | — | — | 74 | #767 |
| 1915 | — | — | 69 | #707 |
| 1910 | — | — | 8 | #1,211 |
| 1905 | — | — | 11 | #747 |
| 1900 | — | — | 13 | #702 |
| 1895 | — | — | 11 | #642 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #954 |
| 1880 | — | — | 5 | #930 |
Famous people named Bradford
- Bradford Dillman Actor · 1930–2018
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bradford mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname, of mostly American usage.
How popular is the name Bradford in 2025?
Bradford ranked #3,522 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 32 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bradford?
32,114 babies have been named Bradford in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bradford most popular?
Bradford peaked in 1953, when 779 newborns received the name.
Is Bradford a boy or girl name?
Bradford is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bradford rising or falling?
Bradford is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Bradford?
Well-known people named Bradford include Bradford Dillman (actor).