Foster
Top 1000
About Foster
Foster is one commonly heard last name that makes a fine first. The word foster means "to nourish" — as in "fostering hope", or "fostering a relationship". The only problem with Foster might be its association with "foster child."
There are numerous notable last-named Fosters, including composer Stephen, actresses Jodie and Sutton, architect Norman, and comic strip artist Hal, creator of "Prince Valiant."
Pronounced FAH-ster.
As of October 2026, Foster ranked #901 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #280 in 1896, Nameberry popularity #364.
Editor: Sophie Kihm
Sources: US popularity data is from the Social Security Administration. Meanings and origins are from Nameberry's name references.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #991 | 209 | 108.8 |
| 2015 | #1,033 | 196 | 102.3 |
| 2016 | #964 | 214 | 112.8 |
| 2017 | #937 | 223 | 120.5 |
| 2018 | #1,077 | 184 | 101.3 |
| 2019 | #945 | 227 | 126.5 |
| 2020 | #962 | 226 | 130.9 |
| 2021 | #1,009 | 217 | 124 |
| 2022 | #1,038 | 213 | 122 |
| 2023 | #966 | 232 | 135.6 |
| 2024 | #1,075 | 202 | 117.2 |
| 2025 | #901 | 264 | 154.6 |
World rankings
Similar names
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Foster on lists
Famous Fosters
- Foster Brooks
American actor/comedian
- Foster William Hewitt
Canadian sportscaster
- Foster Lonnie Campbell
Jr., American politician
- Harry Foster Chapin
American singer/songwriter
- Norman Foster Ramsey Jr.
winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics
- Parker Foster Aiken
son of singer and politician Clay Aiken
- Stephen Collins Foster
"the father of American music," American songwriter
- Ben Foster
American actor
- Hunter and Sutton Foster
American actor siblings
- Jodie Foster
American actress.
Foster in pop culture
- "The Fosters
" TV series
- Foster Lambert
character in horror movie "Insidious"
- "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
" animated series
- "Ellen Foster
" novel by Kaye Gibbons and movie
- Foster the People
American alternative band
- Foster's
Australian lager beer
- Foster
dog on soap "General Hospital"
- Court Foster
character in the 1991 movie "The Man in the Moon"
- Rita Foster
character in 2002 movie "Cypher"
- Robert Foster
main character in the adventure game "Beneath a Steel Sky"
- Michael Foster
character in 2013 movie "The Call"
- Sophie Elizabeth Foster
character in "Keeper of the Lost Cities" by Shannon Messenger
- Foster Blake
character in Elizabeth Enright's children's novel "Gone,Away Lake"