Buford

Meaning & origin

Buford is a surname-turned-first-name that saw its peak popularity in 1910, when it ranked highest among U.S. baby names. Since then, its usage has declined dramatically; by 2025, it ranked 10,695th with only about 1 in 284,679 newborns given the name. The trajectory has been stable at a very low frequency for decades. The name is most strongly associated with the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting a period when English surnames were commonly adopted as given names. Buford's masculine and rustic sound, tied to its toponymic origin meaning 'oxen ford', gives it an old-fashioned, sturdy appeal. Although not recorded in any top states in recent years, it retains a historical resonance for those interested in Civil War history or classic Americana.

Buford is an English surname and place name derived from Old English 'būfan' (above) or 'būfa' (ox) and 'ford' (ford), meaning 'oxen ford' or 'ford by the oxen'. It originated as a topographic name for someone living near such a ford. The name was first recorded as a given name in the United States in the late 19th century, possibly influenced by the fame of General John Buford of the Union Army in the American Civil War.