Raiford
Masculine
Raiford is a Southern surname used as a first name, with a long, rolling sound. It was the real first name of the actor Ossie Davis, who got his famous name from a clerk who misheard.
How old is the name Raiford?
Raiford first appears in US birth records in 1913 — 112 years ago. The typical Raiford alive today was born around 1939, making them about 86 years old. About 200 people named Raiford are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Raiford most popular?
Raiford peaked in 1931, reaching #1770 nationally. See the whole 1931 chart.
Lists built from the same records:
Where it comes from
Origin, sound and short forms
Our story of Raiford
The actor, writer and civil rights activist Ossie Davis was born in Georgia as Raiford Chatman Davis; when his mother told the county clerk his initials, R.C., the clerk heard 'Ossie', and that was the name he carried onto the stage, into films and to the March on Washington. Raiford itself is a family name of the South, handed on as a first name. It is dignified and unusual.
Meaningnot established
Not established
Raiford is a surname found in the American South, and nothing records where it began.
Pronouncing Raiford
RAY-ferd
Two syllables with the stress on the first.
Nicknames for Raiford
Limited
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1913
- Most boys named
- 191816 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #1770reached in 1931
- Change vs 1985
- −28.6%5 in 1992, from 7
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Raifords among us
people named Raiford are estimated to be alive in the US today
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
Questions parents actually ask
Fashion outlook
Raiford sits outside the current charts, and that is its own kind of answer: naming cycles can only date the names they carried up. A name this rare has no decade stamped on it — it cannot go out of fashion, because it was never in.
Based on 146 years of naming cycles. How we read them
The trade-off
- Comes with Ray as a ready short form.
- Almost certain to be the only one.
- A dignified sound.
- People will write Rayford.
- Raiford, Florida, is known for its state prison.
- It has no documented meaning of its own.
Nobody names a baby alone.
Put Raiford to the vote.
Add it to a family vote or a couple’s swipe deck — the other person gets one card, a simple answer and room to say why. No app, no account for them.
Only the people you invite can see your list.
Already decided on Raiford? Hide it among decoys and let them guess.
What they receive
Someone added a name to your list
Raiford
Masculine
Frequently asked
- How many Raifords are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 200 people named Raiford are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Raiford in 2025?
- Raiford is rarely given in the US today — it does not rank in the top 2000 boy names.
- Will my child share the name Raiford with classmates?
- Raiford will almost certainly be the only one in school.
More R names
The most-given names starting with R, all years combined.
Robert#92 · Richard#234 · Ronald#637 · Ryan#99 · Raymond#394 · Roger#832 · Ralph#1046 · Roy#525
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Raiford? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Raiford and another name?
See them side by side — full stats, history and a gentle verdict.
Compare side by sideIn a hurry? Just pick a winner — one tap, no sign-up, and you see how everyone else voted.
Weighing a whole shortlist? Add the rest in the builder, or settle it with a bracket.
Cast your vote
Which one would you pick?
Your gut first, the numbers after — the split shows once you pick.
US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
No advertising trackers and no data sellinghow we handle your dataindependent and founder-run, about Name Battle