Boy name · Old English
Ward
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: guardian, watchmanWard is a boy's name that comes from Old English and means "guardian, watchman". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Guardian, watchman
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #2877 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Ward
As a boy's name, Ward comes from Old English and means "guardian, watchman". It is used in English.
Ward is also a surname: the 79th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 255,767 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Ward on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Ward on 4 lists.
“Proudly the team's vision provider”
From League of Legends names, funny Riot ID tagline ideas
“Old English weard, a watchman or guard”
From Cool last names, cool last names
“Mac an Bhaird, son of the bard; hereditary poets”
From Irish last names, irish surnames from saints and trades
“Guardian, watchman; Old English, a simple strong surname”
From Strong boy names, strong-sounding modern boy names
How popular is Ward?
- US rank in 2025
- #2,877
- 44 babies, 26 per million boys
- Best rank
- #243 in 1899
- Most babies: 341 in 1961
- Babies since 1880
- At least 15,026
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 268 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 331 per million |
| 1900s | 274 per million |
| 1910s | 266 per million |
| 1920s | 228 per million |
| 1930s | 161 per million |
| 1940s | 118 per million |
| 1950s | 99 per million |
| 1960s | 116 per million |
| 1970s | 42 per million |
| 1980s | 19 per million |
| 1990s | 11 per million |
| 2000s | 8 per million |
| 2010s | 17 per million |
| 2020s | 26 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,622 | #2,795 | #2,991 | #3,489 | #2,687 | #2,859 | #2,559 | #2,945 | #3,329 | #2,877 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Ward
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- WalidNewborn child (Arabic, boy)
- WaltRuler of the army (Germanic, boy)
- WaveA sea wave (English, unisex)
- WayraWind, air (Quechua, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- DuarteRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- EdoardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- ÉdouardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- EdwardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- EideardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- EkewakaRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- HallvardRock guardian (Old Norse, boy)
- SigurdVictory guardian (Old Norse, boy)
Middle names for Ward
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
- LindsayLincoln island (Old English, unisex)
- OsmundGod protector (Old English, boy)
Ward: common questions
What does the name Ward mean?
Ward comes from Old English and means "guardian, watchman".
Is Ward a boy or girl name?
Ward is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 14 girls and 44 boys in the US were named Ward, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Ward come from?
Ward comes from Old English and means "guardian, watchman". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Ward?
Ward ranked #2,877 in the US in 2025, with 44 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Ward?
Names spelled like Ward include Walid, Walt, Wave and Wayra.
What middle names go with Ward?
Middle names that flow well with Ward include Curtis, Drake, Fletcher, Glenn and Laurence. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.