Given name & surname · also Old English
Stafford
“from the landing ford”
Stafford is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the landing ford.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “from the landing ford.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Old English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1882. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Stafford through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,850
- 2,850 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1959
- 53 babies
- 2025
- 28
- #3,933 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +28%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 28 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,933 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 28.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 53 in 1959. In 2025, North Carolina had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,724 as a first name in 2020; 44,382 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Stafford’s family of names
In Middle English usage, Stafford has a later derivative in de Stafford. Stafford has a related form in Stafforde. Stafford has a related form in Staford.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Stafford has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its Old English roots to each of them.
3 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Stafford
- Stafford ReppAmerican actor (1918-1974)
- Stafford Northcote, 1st Earl of IddesleighBritish politician (1818–1887)
- Stafford L. WarrenAmerican physician and radiologist (1896–1981)
- Stafford LeRoy IrwinUnited States general (1893-1955)
- Stafford FairborneRoyal Navy admiral of the fleet; (1666-1742)
- Stafford TavaresAmerican cryptographer (born 1940)
- Stafford BrowneFootballer (born 1972)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Stafford, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Stanton
“from the stone town”
>99% boys
Stuart
“a steward; the keeper of the estate”
>99% boys
Bradford
“from the wide ford”
>99% boys
Stanley
“from the stony meadow”
>99% boys
Brad
“one who has broad shoulders”
>99% boys
Ted
“a gift from God” · “having heart”
>99% boys
Ladd
“a servant; a young man”
>99% boys
Ward
“a guardian”
86% boys · 14% girls