Gilford is a unique and distinctive given name of English origin. The name Gilford is derived from the Old English words "gylden," which means "golden," and "ford," which refers to a shallow place in a river where people can cross by foot. Therefore, the meaning of Gilford is "shallow golden ford."
The name Gilford is believed to have originated as an English surname, likely belonging to someone who lived near a ford with gold-colored water or soil. Over time, this surname evolved into a given name and has since been used as such in various parts of the world.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Gilford. One such person is American businessman and philanthropist Gilford Gluck, who founded the Gluck Foundation, dedicated to supporting arts and cultural programs. Another notable figure is Canadian politician Gilford Jane, who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1982 to 1986.
While not extremely common, the name Gilford has been used periodically throughout history and continues to be given today. Parents may choose this name for their child due to its unique sound, English origins, or perhaps in honor of a family member with the name Gilford.
Based on the statistics provided, we can observe several trends related to the name Gilford in the United States over time.
The name Gilford first appeared with a notable number of births in 1884, with five occurrences. This trend continued until 1913, with varying numbers of births ranging from five to twelve per year during that period. The years between 1884 and 1913 can be considered the early establishment phase for the name Gilford.
From 1914 to 1922, there was a significant increase in the popularity of the name Gilford, with the highest number of births recorded at forty in 1922. This period marks the peak popularity of the name Gilford in the United States.
After 1922, the popularity of the name Gilford began to decline gradually but steadily. Between 1923 and 1964, the number of annual births with the name Gilford fluctuated between seven and twenty-two, indicating a consistent but decreasing trend.
From 1965 onwards, the name Gilford became increasingly rare. The number of annual births with this name dropped below ten consistently, with some years having as few as five or six Gilfords born. This indicates that the name Gilford had fallen out of favor and was no longer widely chosen for newborn babies.
In conclusion, based on these statistics, we can see that the name Gilford experienced a period of popularity in the early 20th century but has since become much less common in the United States. Over time, its usage as a baby name has dwindled significantly, with very few births recorded annually from the mid-1960s onwards.