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Home › Baby Names Directory › Raeford

Raeford

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Raeford

Pronounced RAY-ford /ˈreɪ.fərd/Medium

Meaning: Raeford joins the name Rae with ford, an Old English word for a river crossing, echoing the town of Raeford, North Carolina.Low

In 30 seconds: Raeford pairs Rae with ford, a river crossing, following the American pattern of turning place names into given names (said RAY-ford).
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Origin LowEnglish, American
MeaningRaeford joins the name Rae with ford, an Old English word for a river crossing, echoing the town of Raeford, North Carolina.
U.S. rank (1983)#5340 ↘ Falling
1983 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1941
Total births (all-time)≈ 613
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Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 194119141983

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

Raeford appears in records from 1914, reaching its peak around 1941, later than many similarly styled place names.

It stayed uncommon, only a couple dozen boys a year at its best, and it had faded from use by 1983.

Did you know? The town of Raeford, North Carolina, itself was named for local settler families, and the given name likely followed that same regional association.
Overall data confidence 40%
References - Raeford — Place name, Rae + ford compound; Raeford, North Carolina

Variations

RayfordRadfordRaeburn

Nicknames

RaeFord

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Raeford…

Dugan— a similarly uncommon surname-style vintage boy's name
Sanford— a like -ford place-name-turned-boy's-name
Garvin— another place-name-style vintage boy's name
Clifford— a similarly popular pick
Duward— another vintage pick

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Raeford mean?

Raeford combines Rae with ford, an Old English word for a river crossing, echoing the North Carolina town of the same name.

How do you pronounce Raeford?

It's said RAY-ford /ˈreɪ.fərd/, two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Raeford a boy or girl name?

Raeford is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Raeford?

It has always been uncommon, reaching its small best in the early nineteen-forties before fading by the early nineteen-eighties.

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