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Bufford
How to Pronounce Bufford
Pronounced BUF-erd /ˈbʌf.ərd/Medium
Meaning: Bufford is a variant of the English surname Buford or Beaufort, from the Old French beau, 'beautiful,' plus fort, 'fort, stronghold'; it likely began as a place name for a fortified settlement before passing into surname and then first-name use.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Bufford is a variant of Buford and Beaufort, from Old French beau, 'beautiful,' plus fort, 'fortress.' It moved from a place and surname name into occasional Southern American first-name use in the early twentieth century.
Bufford was never common as a given name, given to only about eighteen boys a year at its peak around 1928, and it has stayed a rare, regional-feeling choice since. It reads today with a distinctly old-fashioned Southern character.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Bufford mean?
It is a variant of the surname Buford or Beaufort, from Old French beau, 'beautiful,' plus fort, 'fortress.'
How do you pronounce Bufford?
It is said BUF-erd /ˈbʌf.ərd/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Bufford a boy or girl name?
Bufford is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Bufford?
It has always been rare in the United States as a first name, given to only about eighteen boys a year at its peak in the late nineteen-twenties, mostly in the American South.