Foster

#7,491 for girls in 2025, 14 births · #901 for boys in 2025, 264 births
Given to boys 97.9% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
#278
1894 · 40 births
Debut · boys
1880
16 births
In top 100 · boys
never
of 146 years
Total births · boys
13,122
since 1880

Foster over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Foster has never cracked the top 200 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201997peak #278, 1894boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#7,49114#901264
2024#5,79921#1,076202
2023#5,12625#966232
2022#6,98416#1,037213
2021#6,69117#1,006217
2020#5,66721#961226
2019#7,34215#945227
2018#8,61712#1,077184
2017#7,09216#936223
2016#9,41111#963214
2015#10,14810#1,032196
2014#9,51711#991209
2013#11,0009#937213
2012#16,8695#993200
2011—#1,544102
2010#16,9925#1,349126
2009—#1,443116
2008#17,5045#1,73687
2007—#1,65093
2006#9,90111#1,51999
2005—#1,61984
2004#16,0995#1,328111
2003—#1,40095
2002—#1,268107
2001—#1,38791
2000#11,8017#1,31498
1999—#1,158113
1998#11,1387#1,172106
1997#10,8367#1,116113
1996—#1,33481
1995#13,3865#1,081109
1994—#1,19293
1993#13,4425#1,32174
1992—#1,52558
1991—#1,61552
1990—#1,63550
1989—#1,85840
1988—#1,70641
1987—#1,65541
1986—#2,09627
1985—#1,52443
1984—#1,76432
1983—#1,65135
1982—#1,65436
1981—#1,66135
1980—#1,80831
1979—#1,46441
1978—#1,65233
1977—#1,33546
1976—#1,46937
1975—#1,34542
1974—#1,69228
1973—#1,43535
1972—#1,68027
1971—#1,63729
1970—#1,29741
1969—#1,60526
1968—#1,11945
1967—#1,16541
1966—#1,29934
1965—#1,06448
1964—#1,02554
1963—#1,19542
1962—#1,00758
1961—#88275
1960—#1,05853
1959—#91969
1958—#92867
1957—#88473
1956—#80486
1955—#86273
1954—#93962
1953—#83973
1952—#78181
1951—#76683
1950—#72190
1949—#664107
1948—#626117
1947—#615122
1946—#68988
1945—#586106
1944—#594107
1943—#581119
1942#4,6225#575116
1941—#62893
1940—#62690
1939—#63686
1938—#559108
1937—#570102
1936—#62886
1935—#534117
1934—#560111
1933—#577100
1932—#59299
1931—#557111
1930—#546121
1929—#543117
1928—#588110
1927—#485155
1926—#465167
1925#4,9735#481159
1924—#472171
1923#4,9675#461176
1922#4,4456#442189
1921—#431199
1920—#418201
1919—#429188
1918—#406212
1917—#426177
1916—#387204
1915—#419166
1914#3,6185#404138
1913—#381122
1912—#39196
1911—#35361
1910—#41542
1909—#40836
1908—#35541
1907—#42929
1906—#32141
1905—#37031
1904—#30042
1903—#36028
1902—#36030
1901—#29136
1900—#41929
1899—#29435
1898—#31637
1897—#29937
1896—#27943
1895—#35827
1894—#27840
1893—#28736
1892—#28441
1891—#29132
1890—#36923
1889—#33827
1888—#35926
1887—#40917
1886—#36922
1885—#34425
1884—#39920
1883—#28932
1882—#29434
1881—#34822
1880—#44216
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Foster was already there! It came in at #442, and was given to 16 baby boys.

Quietest stretch: 1880–1881, when fewer than 23 boys a year got the name.

Where Foster is popular in 1997

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedMNIllinois: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedWIMichigan: #871 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 11,861 boysMINew York: #1,512 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 22,979 boysNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedIAIndiana: #580 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 6,217 boysINOhio: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedOHPennsylvania: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedCTCalifornia: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedUTColorado: #489 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 4,168 boysCONebraska: #302 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,950 boysNEMissouri: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedMOKentucky: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedWVVirginia: #603 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 6,433 boysVAMaryland: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedARTennessee: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: #657 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 6,715 boysNCSouth Carolina: #410 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 2,883 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedOKLouisiana: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedLAMississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedALGeorgia: #933 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 10,037 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Foster, so not publishedHITexas: #1,012 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 14,279 boysTXFlorida: #1,163 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 17,176 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Nebraska#302 · 1 in 1,950
  2. South Carolina#410 · 1 in 2,883
  3. Colorado#489 · 1 in 4,168
  4. Indiana#580 · 1 in 6,217
  5. Virginia#603 · 1 in 6,433

Best ever in a state: #132 in West Virginia, 1921.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Nebraska#30251 in 1,950
South Carolina#41071 in 2,883
Colorado#48961 in 4,168
Indiana#58061 in 6,217
Virginia#60361 in 6,433
North Carolina#65771 in 6,715
Michigan#87151 in 11,861
Georgia#93351 in 10,037
Texas#1,012111 in 14,279
Florida#1,16351 in 17,176
New York#1,51251 in 22,979
Alabama———
Alaska———
Arizona———
Arkansas———
California———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Illinois———
Iowa———
Kansas———
Kentucky———
Louisiana———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Minnesota———
Mississippi———
Missouri———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Ohio———
Oklahoma———
Oregon———
Pennsylvania———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Tennessee———
Utah———
Vermont———
Washington———
West Virginia———
Wisconsin———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Foster
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 175 spots since 2024 (#1,076 → #901)
  • 60 spots since 2020 (#961 → #901)
  • 131 spots since 2015 (#1,032 → #901)
  • Biggest jump: 551 spots in 2012 (#1,544 → #993)
  • Biggest drop: 141 spots in 2018 (#936 → #1,077)
Rise & fade · boys
14 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1894 at #278 (40 births)
  • Not yet halved from its peak
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 90 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 90 yrs · run 1880–1959
Share of babies · boys
1 in 2,781
  • Highest: 1 in 2,781 boys born in 1896 were named Foster (0.04%)
  • Latest: 1 in 6,470 boys born in 2025 (0.02%)
  • Its best rank, #278 in 1894, was only 1 in 2,894 (0.03%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 2010s
  • 14.4% of all boys named Foster (1,894) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s241#289 (1883)#359
1890s351#278 (1894)#306
1900s343#291 (1901)#361
1910s1,406#353 (1911)#401
1920s1,644#418 (1920)#479
1930s1,041#534 (1935)#576
1940s1,065#575 (1942)#618
1950s757#721 (1950)#844
1960s476#882 (1961)#1,142
1970s359#1,297 (1970)#1,501
1980s361#1,524 (1985)#1,738
1990s849#1,081 (1995)#1,315
2000s981#1,268 (2002)#1,466
2010s1,894#936 (2017)#1,077
2020s1,354#901 (2025)#991

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Foster in 1997

girls
#10,836
7 births · 1 in 248,673 girls
boys
#1,116
113 births · 1 in 16,683 boys

Top girls' names in 1997

  1. #1Emily25,734
  2. #2Jessica21,045
  3. #3Ashley20,897
  4. #4Sarah20,716
  5. #5Hannah20,597
  6. #6Samantha20,170
  7. #7Taylor19,504
  8. #8Alexis17,171
  9. #9Elizabeth15,430
  10. #10Madison15,189
  11. #10,836Foster7

Top boys' names in 1997

  1. #1Michael37,562
  2. #2Jacob34,163
  3. #3Matthew31,517
  4. #4Christopher29,108
  5. #5Joshua28,289
  6. #6Nicholas27,258
  7. #7Andrew25,208
  8. #8Brandon25,197
  9. #9Austin25,118
  10. #10Tyler24,879
  11. #1,116Foster113
More about 1997

girls

1,740,710 girls got a published name in 1997; 1 in 248,673 of them was named Foster, which outranked 33.0% of the 16,163 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 11.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Foster
  1. #9,802Zierra8
  2. #9,802Zoha8
  3. #9,802Zoi8
  4. #10,836Foster7
  5. #10,836Aaisha7
  6. #10,836Aaleah7
  7. #10,836Aaleigha7
  8. #12,070Aalexis6
  9. #12,070Aalexus6
  10. #12,070Aalia6

Tied with 1,233 names at #10,836; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1996
Risers
  1. ↑ 9,582Yulisa#10,567 → #985
  2. ↑ 3,882Yulissa#4,306 → #424
  3. ↑ 2,634Tea#3,429 → #795
  4. ↑ 2,046Taya#2,901 → #855
  5. ↑ 1,202Julisa#1,930 → #728
Fallers
  1. ↓ 931Yamilex#707 → #1,638
  2. ↓ 477Suzette#998 → #1,475
  3. ↓ 457Chynna#834 → #1,291
  4. ↓ 396Moesha#547 → #943
  5. ↓ 377Daijah#975 → #1,352

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,885,140 boys got a published name in 1997; 1 in 16,683 of them was named Foster, which outranked 89.7% of the 10,814 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 15.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Foster
  1. #1,110Jedidiah114
  2. #1,110Mordechai114
  3. #1,110Tye114
  4. #1,116Foster113
  5. #1,116Alek113
  6. #1,116Brannon113
  7. #1,116Cedrick113
  8. #1,125Demonte112
  9. #1,125Desean112
  10. #1,125Jamaal112

Tied with 8 names at #1,116; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1996
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,420Jaret#2,145 → #725
  2. ↑ 712Kobe#1,265 → #553
  3. ↑ 580Ronaldo#1,465 → #885
  4. ↑ 420Jarett#1,334 → #914
  5. ↑ 416Gianni#1,093 → #677
Fallers
  1. ↓ 562Shaquille#662 → #1,224
  2. ↓ 373Dalvin#977 → #1,350
  3. ↓ 355Montel#990 → #1,345
  4. ↓ 328Codie#884 → #1,212
  5. ↓ 328Jair#884 → #1,212

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1997 →