Baby Name Popularity Profile

Foster

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Foster.

✦ Forest keeper 🌍 English Nature Traditional
National Rank (2025) #901
All-Time Peak Rank #280 Achieved 1896
Total U.S. Births 13,122 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 94.3% Boy / 5.7% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
Girl Rank (2025) Unranked rare/no Girl usage
First Recorded 1880 Data through: 2025
Peak Decade 2010s 264 births in 2025
💡 The Foster Vibe: Considered a Rising Star. A high-velocity modern choice demonstrating rapid, sustained growth in recent registries.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Forest keeper
Language Origin English
Origin Type single
Derived from an Old French occupational surname 'forster' meaning 'forest keeper' or 'woodsman', which was adopted into English.
Pronunciation: FAW-ster
Themes & Categories
Nature Traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📊 Popularity Over Time (1880 – 2025)

Annual registration volume (number of births) for Foster across 146 years of SSA data.

Historical Timeline (1880 - 2025)
18801920196020002025
Recent Decade (2015 - 2025)
5-Year Trend (2020–2025) +16.8%
10-Year Trend (2015–2025) +34.7%
2015: 196 births 196 2016: 214 births 2017: 223 births 2018: 184 births 2019: 227 births 2020: 226 births 226 2021: 217 births 2022: 213 births 2023: 232 births 2024: 202 births 2025: 264 births 264
2015 2020 2025

📈 Popularity Milestones

Busiest Year on Record 264 births in 2025
Years in Top 100 0 yrs
Years in Top 500 48 yrs
Longest Streak 146 yrs
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 241
1890s: 351
1900s: 343
1910s: 1,406
1920s: 1,644
1930s: 1,041
1940s: 1,065
1950s: 757
1960s: 476
1970s: 359
1980s: 361
1990s: 849
2000s: 981
2010s: 1,894
2020s: 1,354

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Fost-er
Letter Count 6 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 25.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 25.7% of SSA names. Starts with F, a letter used by only 1.3% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Foster.

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Brewer Rayden Kaiser Dakari Yadiel Waylen Avyaan Jesiah Kolson Lucien
👧 Sister Suggestions
Zainab Quincy Denver Amayah Ensley Indigo Anaiah Soraya Odette Colbie

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Kentucky
Top States Kentucky, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina, West Virginia
States with Data 37
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Kentucky Unranked 380 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #432 389 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #433 373 1921 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #480 293 1920 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 169 1921 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #1065 411 2021 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #726 354 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #1137 613 1927 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #738 223 2019 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #656 482 1922 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #918 781 2016 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #492 72 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #497 190 2023 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #648 106 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #653 216 2019 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #1287 182 2004 Insufficient historical volume
New York #1847 407 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #460 57 2016 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #758 116 2020 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado Unranked 61 2012 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi #487 57 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri Unranked 89 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #1061 177 2020 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #1055 53 2018 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin Unranked 58 2015 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #609 38 2014 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska Unranked 21 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #739 47 2012 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts Unranked 62 2009 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas Unranked 26 2013 Insufficient historical volume
California #1888 207 2014 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 6 2024 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon Unranked 16 2013 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey Unranked 42 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 6 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland Unranked 22 2016 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona Unranked 5 2014 Insufficient historical volume

🔗 Names You Might Also Like

Based on statistical similarity and shared characteristics with Foster:

Similar Names
Fisher Fraser Fletcher Flynn Forest Brewer Kaiser Casper Palmer Finley
More Nature Names
Browse all Nature names → Browse English names →

🗂️ Browse More Baby Names

Explore our name indexes and data tracks:

👦 Top Boy Names → 2-Syllable Names → 6-Letter Names → More Rising Star Names → English Origin Names → Nature Names → Names Starting With F → Names Peaking in 2025 → 🗺️ Regional State Data →