The first name Rutherford
A boy’s name meaning “cattle”, “ford”.
Pronounced /ˈrʌðərfərd/ 3 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Rutherford means “cattle”, “ford”.
From Old English hryþer (“cattle”) + ford (“ford”). The first element is from Proto-Germanic *hrunþaz.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Rutherford at birth, 1880–2025
In 2023, 11 boys born in the United States were named Rutherford, the 7,647th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 25 were.
729
babies named Rutherford since 1880
#7,647
rank in 2023
1921
peak year
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Rutherford
3 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- William Rutherford MeadAmerican architect (1846–1928)
- Robert Rutherford McCormickAmerican lawyer, Army officer & newspaper owner (1880–1955)
- John HeatonAmerican Skeleton racer (1908-1976)
Questions
- What does the name Rutherford mean?
- Rutherford means “cattle”, “ford”.
- Is Rutherford a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 729 US babies named Rutherford since 1880 were boys.
- When was Rutherford most popular?
- 1921 in the United States, when 25 babies were named Rutherford, its highest rank at 1,538th.
- How do you pronounce Rutherford?
- Rutherford is /ˈrʌðərfərd/, 3 syllables.
- Is Rutherford also a surname?
- Yes. Rutherford is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.