Buford Boy

Popularity: #932 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: BYOO-ford //ˈbjuːfərd//

Origin: English; Old French

Meaning: English: 'by the ford'; Old French: 'dweller by the river crossing'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Buford has its roots in Old English, deriving from the elements "burh," meaning "fortress" or "stronghold," and "ford," which refers to a river crossing. The combination of these elements suggests a geographical or topographical significance, likely describing a fortified place near a river crossing.

The name evolved through various forms, with early instances appearing in medieval England, where it was used as a surname before transitioning into a given name. The name entered the English lexicon during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, influenced by the introduction of Norman French naming conventions.

Historically, the name Buford can be traced back to the 12th century, with notable mentions in English records. It is associated with several historical figures, including landowners and knights during the medieval period.

The surname Buford appears in various documents, such as the Domesday Book, which recorded landholdings in England after the Norman Conquest. The name also appears in literature and historical texts, contributing to its recognition in English-speaking regions.

Culturally, the name Buford carries connotations of strength and stability, reflective of its etymological roots. It has been used in various contexts, including literature and folklore, often symbolizing resilience and protection.

The name may also have regional significance in certain areas of England and the United States, where it has been adopted in various forms. Diminutive forms or variations may exist, but they are less commonly noted in historical records.

Overall, Buford encapsulates a blend of linguistic heritage and historical significance, marking its place in the tapestry of English names.

Famous people named Buford

In this section, you will find notable people named Buford. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Buford who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Buford who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Buford Pusser is a lawman best known for his role in the fight against organized crime in Tennessee and the subject of the film Walking Tall.

Fictional characters named Buford

The following list of fictional characters named Buford is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Buford is a fictional character from the animated television series Phineas and Ferb. He is a tough and loyal friend known for his strength and support of his friends' adventures.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Buford, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

BennettBradleyBeckettBrandonBlake

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Buford. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

BurtBurtonBrockBlaineBrentBlaiseBodhi

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Buford was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Buford has ranked as high as #684 nationally, which occurred in 1921, and has been most popular in Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Kentucky.

In the past 5 years the name Buford has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Buford is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Buford was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Buford.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 6 6 0
2023 5 5 0
2016 5 5 0
2012 5 5 0
2006 6 6 0
2005 10 10 0
2003 7 7 0
2000 9 9 0
1999 7 7 0
1998 6 6 0
1997 6 6 0
1996 7 7 0
1995 9 9 0
1994 6 6 0
1993 12 12 0
1992 6 6 0
1991 12 12 0
1990 17 17 0
1989 13 13 0
1988 14 14 0
1987 15 15 0
1986 22 22 0
1985 24 24 0
1984 16 16 0
1983 18 18 0
1982 32 32 0
1981 19 19 0
1980 30 30 0
1979 39 39 0
1978 31 31 0
1977 35 35 0
1976 33 33 0
1975 46 46 0
1974 36 36 0
1973 31 31 0
1972 25 25 0
1971 46 46 0
1970 53 53 0
1969 56 56 0
1968 47 47 0
1967 45 45 0
1966 41 41 0
1965 67 67 0
1964 62 62 0
1963 54 54 0
1962 65 65 0
1961 80 80 0
1960 70 70 0
1959 65 65 0
1958 67 67 0
1957 79 79 0
1956 108 108 0
1955 93 93 0
1954 97 97 0
1953 108 108 0
1952 114 109 5
1951 107 107 0
1950 130 130 0
1949 148 148 0
1948 143 143 0
1947 166 166 0
1946 145 145 0
1945 129 129 0
1944 172 172 0
1943 198 198 0
1942 182 182 0
1941 183 183 0
1940 191 186 5
1939 164 164 0
1938 196 196 0
1937 193 193 0
1936 167 160 7
1935 174 174 0
1934 211 211 0
1933 169 169 0
1932 228 228 0
1931 200 200 0
1930 240 240 0
1929 230 230 0
1928 246 240 6
1927 247 242 5
1926 274 264 10
1925 283 283 0
1924 304 304 0
1923 286 279 7
1922 312 305 7
1921 334 334 0
1920 283 278 5
1919 264 258 6
1918 259 252 7
1917 254 249 5
1916 249 244 5
1915 214 209 5
1914 165 165 0
1913 142 136 6
1912 116 108 8
1911 53 53 0
1910 69 63 6
1909 36 36 0
1908 52 47 5
1907 25 25 0
1906 29 29 0
1905 37 37 0
1904 25 25 0
1903 24 24 0
1902 14 14 0
1901 17 17 0
1900 23 23 0
1899 18 18 0
1898 18 18 0
1897 15 15 0
1896 17 17 0
1895 20 20 0
1894 17 17 0
1893 12 12 0
1892 14 14 0
1891 12 12 0
1890 13 13 0
1888 13 13 0
1887 9 9 0
1886 7 7 0
1884 10 10 0
1883 10 10 0
1881 9 9 0
1880 11 11 0

Top States for Buford (1982)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
MS 5
100%