Fordham

/ˈfɔː(ɹ)d(h)əm/

//ˈfɔː(ɹ)d(h)əm// name

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"fordham" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Fordham” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #29,280 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#29,280
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A surname.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Fordham vs Farnham
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Fordham
PropertyValue
HeadwordFordham
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈfɔː(ɹ)d(h)əm/
Letters7
Frequency rank#29,280
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Fordham” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Fordham lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Fordham is 7 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈfɔː(ɹ)d(h)əm/. Corpus data places it at rank #29,280 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for Fordham, with forms such as "ffordham", "fodrham", and "fordahm". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "Farnham", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old English ford + either hām (“homestead”) or hamm (“promontory”). The correct English form is Fordham, spelled F-O-R-D-H-A-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A surname.
  2. 2
    A village and civil parish in East Cambridgeshire district, Cambridgeshire, England (OS grid ref TL6370).
  3. 3
    A village and civil parish in Colchester borough, Essex, England (OS grid ref TL9228).
  4. 4
    A hamlet and civil parish in King's Lynn and West Norfolk district, Norfolk, England (OS grid ref TL6199).
  5. 5
    A neighbourhood in the western Bronx, New York City, New York, United States.
  6. 6
    An unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, United States.
  7. 7
    A ghost town in Adams County, Wisconsin, United States.

Etymology

From Old English ford + either hām (“homestead”) or hamm (“promontory”).

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ffordham,fodrham,fordahm,forddham,fordhamm,fordhham,fordhma,forhdam,forrdham,frodham,ofrdham

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Fordham - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ffordham1fodrham2fordahm2forddham1fordhamm1fordhham1fordhma2forhdam2
Edit distance from "Fordham"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Fordham"?
"Fordham" is spelled F-O-R-D-H-A-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɔː(ɹ)d(h)əm/.
What does "Fordham" mean?
As a proper noun, "Fordham" means: A surname.
What words are commonly confused with "Fordham"?
"Fordham" is commonly confused with "Farnham". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Fordham"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Fordham" is /ˈfɔː(ɹ)d(h)əm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Fordham"?
From Old English ford + either hām (“homestead”) or hamm (“promontory”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Fordham”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-O-R-D-H-A-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfɔː(ɹ)d(h)əm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Farnham” - see the side-by-side comparison. Fordham vs Farnham
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list