Foster

“Forest worker; or, less commonly, scissors maker” — English (Forster), possibly French (forcetier) origin

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

Foster has appeared in US records since 1880 — best rank #278 (1894) · 13,122 babies named Foster all-time · 1 in 6,700 boys born in 2025.

Around the world: about 1 in 9,900 boys in Canada (2024).

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

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)

Among 94 notable people named Foster:

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

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