Porter is an English occupational surname with two sources: the Old French portier, "gatekeeper", and porteour, "carrier" of goods. Songwriter Cole Porter is its most famous American bearer, and the name fits the fashion for occupational surnames like Cooper and Sawyer. In the United States Porter ranked number 803 in 2000, peaked at number 368 in 2014 and stands at number 560 among boys' names in 2025.