Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Ford
BoyEnglish, Old English· “river crossing”
- Meaning
- river crossing
- Origin
- English, Old English
- Pronunciation
- FAWRD
- Syllables
- 1
- US rank 2025
- #474
- US babies 2025
- 642
- Best rank
- #439 (2021)
- Peak year
- 2021
Meaning and origin of Ford
Ford is an English and Old English name that means “river crossing”.
Ford comes from the Old English word for a shallow place where a river could be crossed on foot or horseback. It became a surname for people who lived near such a crossing, and it appears in countless English place names, from Oxford to Stratford. The surname is famous through the carmaker Henry Ford, the president Gerald Ford and the actor Harrison Ford. As a first name Ford is short, crisp and quietly strong. It fits with other one-syllable names like Beck and Reid, and it works well as a middle name.
Popularity over time
Ford has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 68 different years. Its best national rank was #439 in 2021, the same year it reached its highest count of 707 babies. In 2025, 642 babies were named Ford, and it ranked #474 nationally. That is 96% more than ten years earlier, so it is clearly on the rise.
Its national rank moved from #916 in 1920, #1,109 in 1950, #3,481 in 1980, #1,975 in 2000, #1,566 in 2010, and #474 in 2025. Of the 11,009 US boys named Ford since records began, 34% were born in the 2020s, its biggest decade. The 2010s come next, with 2,766 babies.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Tripp, Asa, Camilo, Jasiah, and Kaison.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Ford ranked highest in Utah, Montana, and Colorado.
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for boys.
Ford is usually pronounced FAWRD, with one syllable. It has four letters, starts with F and ends in “-rd”.
Middle names for Ford
A few middle names that flow with Ford: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Ford
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Lists that include Ford
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ford mean?
Ford is an English and Old English name that means “river crossing”.
What is the origin of the name Ford?
Ford has English and Old English roots. Ford comes from the Old English word for a shallow place where a river could be crossed on foot or horseback.
Is Ford a popular name?
Yes. Ford ranked #474 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Ford a boy or girl name?
Ford is mainly a boy's name. In the US it is used almost only for boys.
How do you pronounce Ford?
Ford is usually pronounced FAWRD. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings