Holding steady.
Popularity of Foy since 1889
Babies named Foy per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1921, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Foy's real moment was 1905.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 0 | 6 |
| 1890s | 0 | 19 |
| 1900s | 38 | 53 |
| 1910s | 134 | 375 |
| 1920s | 127 | 522 |
| 1930s | 86 | 376 |
| 1940s | 31 | 325 |
| 1950s | 5 | 210 |
| 1960s | 0 | 123 |
| 1970s | 0 | 64 |
| 1980s | 0 | 28 |
| 1990s | 0 | 5 |
| 2000s | 0 | 6 |
| 2010s | 0 | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Foy is an uncommon name with dual possible origins: as an Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Fiaich, meaning 'descendant of Fiach,' or from the Middle English 'foy,' meaning 'faith,' from Old French 'foi.' It was used as a given name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its peak year in 1905. The name was first recorded in U.S. data in 1889, but it never entered the top 1000. In recent years, it has been given to very few babies, reflecting its stable but low trajectory. The name's obscurity means it does not appear in any top states, and it remains a distinctive choice for parents seeking a rare name with historical resonance.
The name Foy likely originates as a transferred use of the Irish surname Ó Fiaich, meaning 'descendant of Fiach' (a personal name meaning 'raven'), or from the Old French 'foi', meaning 'faith'. It saw some use as a given name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in the United States, before declining in frequency.
Sibling names for Foy
Names that share Foy's style, for a brother or sister.
