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At a Glance: Name: Crawford – Meaning: crow's ford — a river crossing frequented by crows – Origin: Old English (Scottish surname/place name) – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: KRAW-ferd
Crawford traces back to Old English, where crāwe (crow) and ford (river crossing) combined into 'crow's ford' — a river crossing frequented by crows. It started out as a Scottish surname and place name. You may run into the claim that it means 'crow's passing,' but that's not accurate — the Old English roots point to a place, not a passing.
Meaning & Origin of Crawford
Meaning: Crow's ford — a river crossing frequented by crows.
Origin: Old English (Scottish surname/place name).
A common claim: crow's passing Actually: Wiktionary traces Crawford to Old English crāwe ('crow') + ford ('river crossing') — 'crow's ford,' not 'crow's passing.'
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Crawford
Phonetic: KRAW-ferd IPA: /ˈkrɔːfərd/
Popularity of Crawford
Crawford hit its high point on the SSA list in 1896, ranking #443 with 20 babies given the name; by 2024 it had dropped to #2557, even though the count was higher at 52.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
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Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Crawford mean?
Crow’s ford — a river crossing frequented by crows. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Crawford)
How do you pronounce Crawford?
Crawford is pronounced KRAW-ferd (IPA: /ˈkrɔːfərd/).
Is Crawford a popular name right now?
Crawford peaked at #443 in 1896 and is ranked #2557 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
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