Cranford
A boy's name of Old English origin with 158 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
An area of Greater London, on the boundary between the boroughs of Hillingdon and Hounslow .
Cranford is a boy's baby name of Old English origin, derived from a place name meaning 'ford frequented by cranes,' from Old English cran (crane) and ford (river crossing). It appears as a village name in England and was made famous by Elizabeth Gaskell's 1851 novel Cranford.
English place names like Cranford carry layers of natural and literary history. As a first name, Cranford has the formal, slightly literary quality of British surname-names — a name that announces both English heritage and an appreciation for the quiet pastoral world it evokes.
EtymologyShow more
Cranford first shows up in U.S. Social Security records in 1915. Its appearance in the 1910s coincides with waves of immigration, cultural exchange, and the early decades of American popular culture — all of which introduced and popularized new names.
Its Old English classification suggests a path from old english linguistic traditions into American usage, though the specific route — whether through immigration, literature, or cultural exchange — would require deeper historical research.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Cranford has 22+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1915.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 11 | — |
| 1940s | 11 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 32 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 69 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 30 | — |
The Story of Cranford
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1927, Cranford is a name steeped in history. Boys named Cranford are most likely born between 1917 and 1937.
How rare is Cranford?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Cranford is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1915, peaked in the 1920s with 69 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Cranford by the numbers
- Would fill 3 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(22 years, 1915–1962)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 5 | #4165 |
| 1952 | 5 | #3840 |
| 1950 | 6 | #3393 |
| 1948 | 5 | #3787 |
| 1941 | 6 | #3212 |
| 1935 | 6 | #3335 |
| 1932 | 8 | #2895 |
| 1931 | 7 | #3152 |
| 1930 | 11 | #2476 |
| 1929 | 9 | #2808 |
| 1928 | 6 | #3798 |
| 1927 | 13 | #2318 |
| 1925 | 7 | #3476 |
| 1924 | 7 | #3567 |
| 1923 | 9 | #2989 |
| 1922 | 5 | #4440 |
| 1921 | 6 | #3956 |
| 1920 | 7 | #3552 |
| 1918 | 7 | #3440 |
| 1917 | 9 | #2779 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1915–1962