Foster

Meaning: Forest worker; or, less commonly, scissors maker
Origin: English (Forster), possibly French (forcetier)

Boy's name · #901 in the US (2025) · Comeback

Popularity over time

Foster was #280 in 1896, slipped to #2116 by 1986, and has climbed back to #901 today. Roughly 13,000 boys have been named Foster since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Foster is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 28 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Foster ranks in other countries and regions.

#1,404 in Canada (2024).

Famous Fosters

Foster Furcolo — US politician (1911–1995)
Foster Brooks — American actor and comedian (1912–2001)
Foster Moreau — American football player (born 1997)
Foster V. Brown — American politician (1852–1937)
Foster McGowan Voorhees — American politician (1856–1927)

As a surname

It is also an American family name — about 228,000 people carried it as a surname in the 2010 census.

Jodie Foster — American actress and filmmaker (born 1962)
Norman Foster — British architect (born 1935)
Ben Foster — English association football player (born 1983)

In stories & tradition

Foster — Spider-Man: Homecoming (film)

What Fosters become

Among 94 notable people named Foster:

Political leaders appear 1.79× more often than among typical names — e.g. Foster Furcolo, American politician (1911–1995).

Similar names: Ollie · Forest · Porter · Palmer · Chester · Ambrose

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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