UK boy's name
Stafford
From an Old English byname for someone who carries a staff.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2005. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Stafford is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Stafford popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2005 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3849, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 1999 to 2005. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Stafford. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2006 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Stafford ranked #3849 for boys in England and Wales in 2005, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 3 boys were registered as Stafford.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Stafford as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3849
2005
Births in 2005
3
Latest year
Peak year
1999
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Stafford mean?
Stafford is an English given name with origins dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era. The name is derived from the Old English words "stæf" meaning "staff" and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing or ford. It likely originated as a place name referring to a ford where travelers crossed with the aid of a staff.
The earliest recorded use of the name Stafford can be traced back to the 7th century AD in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England. It was particularly prevalent in the West Midlands region, where the town of Stafford and the county of Staffordshire are located.
One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Stafford was Stafford, a 7th-century priest and missionary who was sent by Pope Vitalian to help establish Christianity in the Kingdom of Essex. In the 9th century, there is record of a nobleman named Stafford who held land in Staffordshire during the reign of King Alfred the Great.
During the Middle Ages, the name Stafford became associated with several prominent noble families in England. The most notable was the House of Stafford, a powerful dynasty that produced several Earls and Dukes of Buckingham and played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses.
Some notable historical figures with the name Stafford include:
1. Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham (1402-1460), a prominent English nobleman and military commander during the Wars of the Roses.
2. Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (1478-1521), a courtier and advisor to King Henry VIII who was executed for treason.
3. William Stafford (1593-1684), an English poet and diplomat during the 17th century.
4. William Howard Stafford (1914-1993), an American poet and academic who served as the Poet Laureate of Oregon.
5. Jo Stafford (1917-2008), an American traditional pop music singer and actress, known for her work with husband Paul Weston and their television series The Jo Stafford Show.
Throughout its history, the name Stafford has been predominantly used in England and English-speaking countries, though it has also found some use in other European cultures influenced by English traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Stafford over time
The chart below shows babies named Stafford registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2005. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Stafford, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2005, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Stafford by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Stafford was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3849 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #2943 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Stafford
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Stafford: questions and answers
How popular is the name Stafford in the UK right now?
In 2005, Stafford was ranked #3849 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Stafford most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 3 babies registered as Stafford in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Stafford?
From an Old English byname for someone who carries a staff.
How many people are called Stafford in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Stafford across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.