Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Melford

Melford

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Melford

Pronounced MEL-furd /ˈmɛl.fərd/Medium

Meaning: Melford is an English surname and place-name used as a given name; it comes from Old English elements for 'mill' and 'ford', 'the ford by the mill', as in the Suffolk village of Long Melford.Medium

In 30 seconds: Melford is a place-and-surname name meaning 'mill ford' — a genuine early-1900s boy's name, sturdy and now rare (said 'MEL-furd').
💕 Browse more names
Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningMelford is an English surname and place-name used as a given name; it comes from Old English elements for 'mill' and 'ford', 'the ford by the mill', as in the Suffolk village of Long Melford.
U.S. rank (1982)#5406 ↗ Rising
1982 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1921
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,175

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192119041982

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

Melford comes from an English place-name and surname built from myln 'mill' and ford 'river crossing' — 'the ford by the mill'. Like many -ford surnames it was adopted as a first name in the surname-name fashion of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

It appeared quietly in the early twentieth century and now reads as vintage and distinctly English. A boy named Melford at its peak would belong to the World War I generation.

Did you know? Long Melford, a Suffolk village famous for its grand church, carries the same 'mill by the ford' meaning that stands behind the given name.
Overall data confidence 55%
References — Melford — English place/surname; 'mill ford'; Long Melford

Variations

MilfordMedfordTelford

Nicknames

Mel

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Melford…

Milford— a very close 'mill ford' surname-name
Melvin— a like Mel- boy's name of the era
Mallard— another surname-name pick
Manford— the same vintage feel
Millard— echoes that soft -rd sound

Explore names like Melford

By themevintagesurname-nameplace-name

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Melford mean?

Melford is an English surname and place-name meaning 'the ford by the mill'.

How do you pronounce Melford?

It's said MEL-furd /ˈmɛl.fərd/ — 2 syllables, stress on the first.

Is Melford a boy or girl name?

Melford is used as a boy's name in the U.S.

How popular is Melford?

Melford is a rare, old-fashioned boy's name in the U.S., most seen in the early twentieth century.

💬 Ask Nia