Foster
Boy name · #901 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
In 2025, 264 baby boys were named Foster, placing it at #901 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1032, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,818 boys born in 2025 was named Foster.
The 145-year story
Foster first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 16 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 264 babies and a rank of #901. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Foster per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Foster against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Foster in class?
Foster scores 57 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Foster is most common
Geography matters for names, and Foster is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Fosters were TX (27), IN (14), OH (14), GA (13), AL (12). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Foster
Statistically, parents drawn to Foster tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Slater, Fisher, Winter, Palmer, and Porter.
SlaterFisherWinterPalmerPorterAbnerEliezerFletcher
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Foster | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 264 | #901 |
| 2024 | 202 | #1076 |
| 2023 | 232 | #966 |
| 2022 | 213 | #1037 |
| 2021 | 217 | #1006 |
| 2020 | 226 | #961 |
| 2019 | 227 | #945 |
| 2018 | 184 | #1077 |
| 2017 | 223 | #936 |
| 2016 | 214 | #963 |
| 2015 | 196 | #1032 |
| 2014 | 209 | #991 |
| 2013 | 213 | #937 |
| 2012 | 200 | #993 |
| 2011 | 102 | #1544 |
| 2010 | 126 | #1349 |
| 2009 | 116 | #1443 |
| 2008 | 87 | #1736 |
| 2007 | 93 | #1650 |
| 2006 | 99 | #1519 |
| 2005 | 84 | #1619 |
| 2004 | 111 | #1328 |
| 2003 | 95 | #1400 |
| 2002 | 107 | #1268 |
| 2001 | 91 | #1387 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Foster a popular boy name?
Foster ranked #901 among boys in 2025 with 264 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1032.
When was the name Foster most popular?
Foster peaked in 2025, when 264 American boys received the name (ranked #901 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Foster?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,818 newborn American boys was named Foster. It scores 57/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.