The first name Sanford
A boy’s name.
Pronounced /ˈsænfɚd/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Reduced variant of Sandford.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Sanford at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 12 boys born in the United States were named Sanford, the 7,113th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1929, when 315 were.
15,044
babies named Sanford since 1880
#7,113
rank in 2025
1929
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 Sanford
11 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Sanford B. DoleAmerican judge (1844-1926)
- Sanford Robinson GiffordAmerican painter (1823–1880)
- Sanford MeisnerAmerican actor and acting teacher (1905-1997)
- Sanford BishopAmerican politician, born 1947
- Sanford Myron ZellerAmerican mycologist (1885–1948)
- Sanford ClarkAmerican country-rockabilly singer and guitarist (1935-2021)
- Bill NyeAmerican science educator, comedian, television host, actor, writer, scientist and mechani, born 1955
- Mark S. GranovetterAmerican sociologist, born 1943
- Sandy BaronAmerican actor (1937–2001)
- Herbert S. WaltersAmerican politician (1891-1973)
- Mort GarsonCanadian-born composer, arranger, songwriter, and pioneer of electronic music (1924-2008)
Questions
- What does the name Sanford mean?
- Reduced variant of Sandford.
- Is Sanford a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 15,044 US babies named Sanford since 1880 were boys.
- When was Sanford most popular?
- 1929 in the United States, when 315 babies were named Sanford, its highest rank at 311th.
- How do you pronounce Sanford?
- Sanford is /ˈsænfɚd/, 2 syllables.
- Is Sanford also a surname?
- Yes. Sanford is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.