Foch
Likely a masculine given name derived from the French surname Foch.
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Foch. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Foch today is around 144 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Foch births was 1918 (58 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Foch. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Foch is about 144 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Fochs were born before 1892.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Foch. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1918
58 babies that year
Average age
144
years old
1919 SSA rank
#2,957
Tracked since 1880
Origin
Meaning and history of Foch
The given name Foch has its origins in the French language. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "foche," which means "hoe" or "spade," referring to a type of gardening tool used for digging and cultivating the soil.
Foch was a name commonly found in France during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period. Some sources suggest that it may have been used as a surname for individuals who were associated with agriculture or worked as farmers or gardeners.
While the name Foch does not have any direct association with historical figures or events from ancient times, it is worth noting that it shares similarities with other French names that have agricultural connotations, such as "Bouvier" (herdsman) or "Laboureur" (ploughman).
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Foch can be found in the 15th century, with a French military commander named Foch who served under King Charles VII during the Hundred Years' War against England.
In modern times, the most notable individual bearing the name Foch was Ferdinand Foch (1851-1929), a French military officer and Marshal of France during World War I. He played a crucial role in the Allied victory and is celebrated for his strategic leadership and command during the final offensives of the war.
Another historical figure with the name Foch was Edouard Foch (1824-1901), a French painter and printmaker known for his landscapes and etchings depicting rural scenes and everyday life in the French countryside.
In the realm of literature, there was a French author named Gaston Foch (1880-1951) who wrote several novels and short stories in the early 20th century, often exploring themes of love, relationships, and societal norms.
Additionally, Léon Foch (1896-1977) was a French architect and urban planner who contributed to the design and development of various cities and infrastructure projects in France during the mid-20th century.
Lastly, Jean-Baptiste Foch (1829-1902) was a French sculptor and medallist who created numerous public monuments, busts, and commemorative medallions throughout his career, some of which can still be found in various cities across France.
People
Foch + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Foch as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Foch: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Foch?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Foch going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Foch a common name?
We classify Foch as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 67 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Foch most popular?
The single biggest year for Foch was 1918, when 58 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Foch is about 144 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Foch a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Foch in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.