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Home › Baby Names Directory › Stanford

Stanford

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Stanford

Pronounced STAN-ferd /ˈstæn.fərd/Medium

Meaning: From an English place/surname, 'the stony ford; a stone river-crossing' (Old English stan, 'stone', + ford, 'a ford/crossing'); we note the placeLow

In 30 seconds: The stony ford: Stanford is an English place/surname. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'STAN-ferd').
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Origin LowEnglish
MeaningFrom an English place/surname, 'the stony ford; a stone river-crossing' (Old English stan, 'stone', + ford, 'a ford/crossing'); we note the place
U.S. rank (2024)#7647 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births11 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1954
Total births (all-time)≈ 7,714

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 195418802024

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

Stanford comes from an English place/surname, 'the stony ford; a stone river-crossing' (Old English stan, 'stone', + ford, 'a ford/crossing'; the university is named for Leland Stanford; we note the place). A crisp, classic name (said 'STAN-ferd'; nickname Stan).

In the U.S. it appears as a surname-name. Rare, the-stony-ford at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Stanford is an English place/surname, 'the stony ford; a stone river-crossing' (stan, 'stone', + ford, 'a crossing') — crisp and classic (we note the place; said 'STAN-ferd').
Overall data confidence 44%
References — Stanford — place noted

Variations

StandfordStanforde

Nicknames

Stan

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Stanford…

Stanley— a kin Stan- boys' name
Clifford— a sound-neighbor -ford boys' name
Bradford— a fellow -ford boys' name
Shepherd— shares Stanford's English roots
Stafford— another English name

Explore names like Stanford

By themeenglishplace-nameriver
By meaningSea / WaterRock / Stone

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Stanford mean?

Stanford is an English place/surname, 'the stony ford; a stone river-crossing'. We note the place.

How do you pronounce Stanford?

It's said STAN-ferd /ˈstæn.fərd/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Stanford a boy or girl name?

Stanford is a boy's name.

How popular is Stanford?

Stanford is a rare name in the U.S.

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