Foster Name Meaning, Popularity and Origins
Origin:
English
Gender Distribution:
98% Masculine / 2% Feminine
Meaning:
Foster means 'to nourish' or 'to feed.'
Meaning of the Name Foster
Foster is an English surname that originated from the Middle English word 'foster,' which means 'to nourish' or 'to feed.' The name was originally given to a person who was responsible for fostering or nourishing a child. It can also be derived from the Old Norse name 'Fóstri,' which has a similar meaning. Foster can also be used as a given name and it gained popularity in the 19th century.
Popularity of the Name Foster
The popularity for the name Foster peaked in popularity in the year 2019 with 226 births, which ranked number 2,041 out of 29,488 unique names for that year. Foster had the most female births in 2020 with 21, which ranked number 5,658 out of 17,485 female names for that year, and had the most male births in 2019 with 226, which ranked number 946 out of 14,112 male names for that year. The number of births for the name Foster has increased over the last ten years from 205 births to 228 births, an increase of 11.22%. Among males, Foster has increased slightly in popularity over the last ten years from 200 births to 212 births, an increase of 6.00%. Among females, Foster has increased sharply in popularity over the last ten years from 5 births to 16 births, an increase of 220.00%.
Nationwide Popularity of Foster
- 20 Year Trend of Foster: 113.08%
- 10 Year Trend of Foster: 11.22%
- 10 Year Male Trend of Foster: 6.00%
- 10 Year Female Trend of Foster: 220.00%
Popularity of Foster by State
For males, Foster was most popular in Southeastern states with 62 births in the region. It was most commonly seen in TX, with 25 male births. See below for a full state by state breakdown of the name Foster. States with less than five births recorded will not be shown.
| State | Male Births | Male Gender Rank | Female Births | Female Gender Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | 11 | 438 | < 5 | N/A |
| AR | 7 | 423 | < 5 | N/A |
| CA | 10 | 1627 | < 5 | N/A |
| FL | 7 | 1452 | < 5 | N/A |
| GA | 8 | 1006 | < 5 | N/A |
| ID | 6 | 353 | < 5 | N/A |
| IL | 9 | 871 | < 5 | N/A |
| IN | 11 | 558 | < 5 | N/A |
| LA | 5 | 805 | < 5 | N/A |
| MI | 9 | 748 | < 5 | N/A |
| NC | 7 | 1031 | < 5 | N/A |
| NE | 6 | 385 | < 5 | N/A |
| OH | 13 | 662 | < 5 | N/A |
| PA | 6 | 1099 | < 5 | N/A |
| TN | 11 | 609 | < 5 | N/A |
| TX | 25 | 940 | < 5 | N/A |
| UT | 5 | 673 | < 5 | N/A |
| VA | 6 | 951 | < 5 | N/A |
2024 Popularity Projections for Foster
- Total Births of Foster: 230 (1.07%)
- Male Births of Foster: 213 (0.58%)
- Female Births of Foster: 18 (12.33%)
Given the upward trend of Foster over the last 10 years, we expect this to continue in 2024 with roughly a 1.07% increase in total births, for a total of 230 births in 2024. Male births for Foster have been increasing over the past decade, so we anticipate roughly 213 male births in 2024, an increase of 0.58%. For Females, births for Foster have been increasing over the past 10 years, and we expect roughly 18 female births in 2024, an increase of 12.33%.