Forest
Forest: name meaning, origin and popularity
Meaning and origin of Forest
Root meaning: “forest”
- A male given name: Alternative form of Forrest.
Etymology
French surname, from Old French forest (“forest”). Compare Laforest and Deforest. Also an English and Scottish surname, variant of Forrest and related to the above.
How popular is Forest?
Since 1880, 593 girls and 17,784 boys in the U.S. have been named Forest (3% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #838 in 1897. Its highest rank for boys was #223 in 1893. In 2025 it ranked #750 for boys, with 356 babies given the name.
Names similar to Forest
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Sibling name ideas for Forest
Names that peaked around the same time as Forest and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Forest FAQ
What does the name Forest mean?
Forest traces back to a root meaning "forest". A male given name: Alternative form of Forrest. French surname, from Old French forest (“forest”). Compare Laforest and Deforest. Also an English and Scottish surname, variant of Forrest and related to the above.
How popular is the name Forest?
Since 1880, 593 girls and 17,784 boys in the U.S. have been named Forest (3% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #838 in 1897. Its highest rank for boys was #223 in 1893. In 2025 it ranked #750 for boys, with 356 babies given the name.
Is Forest a boy or girl name?
Forest is mostly a boy name in the U.S.: 593 girls and 17,784 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.