How to say it
FORD
fɔːrd
Masculine
Ford
River crossing
What it means
An English surname and word for a shallow river crossing.
Ford is an English word and surname for a ford, the shallow place where you can cross a river on foot. It carries American industry through Henry Ford and his Model T, and a presidential note through Gerald Ford. Spare and strong, it fits the one-syllable surname set with Reed and Banks. Said FORD.
How to spell Ford
The standard spelling is Ford. Common variants include Forde, Forde, but Ford is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #439 in 2021, currently #474 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Henry Ford; President Gerald Ford.
- Spelling
A word name for a river crossing.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Henry Ford American industrialist who founded the Ford Motor Company, whose surname anchors the given name
- Harrison Ford American actor known for Star Wars and Indiana Jones, whose surname anchors the given name
Spelling variants
- Forde
- Forde
Names with the same feeling
See Ford from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Ford mean?
- An English surname and word for a shallow river crossing.
- What does Ford mean in English?
- In English, Ford means "River crossing." Ford is an English word and surname for a ford, the shallow place where you can cross a river on foot. It carries American industry through Henry Ford and his Model T, and a presidential note through Gerald Ford. Spare and strong, it fits the one-syllable surname set with Reed and Banks. Said FORD.
- How do you pronounce Ford?
- Ford is pronounced fɔːrd. Say it as FORD, with the stress on the "ford" syllable.
- How do you spell Ford?
- The standard spelling is Ford. Common spelling variants include Forde, Forde.
- Is Ford a boy or girl name?
- Ford is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Ford?
- Ford ranked #474 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.