Halford is a unique and distinctive given name of English origin. It is derived from the Old English word "hal" which means "hale" or "whole," combined with the element "ford," meaning "river crossing." Thus, the name Halford literally translates to "healthy river crossing."
The use of the name Halford dates back to medieval times in England. It was often used as a surname before becoming more popular as a given name in recent years. Some notable figures have carried this name, including British poet Thomas Halford (1785-1864) and American businessman and philanthropist Joseph Halford (1802-1863).
While not extensively documented due to its rarity, the name Halford has a unique charm and historical resonance. It is an excellent choice for parents looking for an uncommon yet meaningful name for their child.
Based on the provided statistics, the name Halford has had a varied but generally low popularity among parents choosing names for their newborns in the United States from 1919 to 1959.
The earliest record available is from 1919, with only six births that year. This number increased slightly to eleven in 1920, indicating that while not a common choice, Halford was being used occasionally during this period. The name's popularity peaked in 1921 with eighteen births that year.
However, the trend reversed afterwards, with only six births recorded in 1923 and five in both 1926 and 1937. This suggests a decline in the name's popularity among parents during these years.
The latter part of the period shows some fluctuation but remains relatively low. Between 1942 and 1959, there were six to eight births each year, with five or fewer recorded in most years except for 1944 and 1950 which saw eight and six births respectively.
In total, over the sixty-one years from 1919 to 1959, there were 134 newborns named Halford in the United States. This indicates that while not extremely popular, the name Halford was used consistently albeit sparingly by parents during this period.