Forest
Forest is both a French surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
- English
Meaning & Origin of Forest
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Forest is both a French surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Forest
Forest first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 30 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 381 Forests were born — ranking #710 that year. As of 2026, Forest ranks #710 for baby boys with 381 births, rising sharply (+41% over the past five years). In total, more than 18K Forests have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Forest
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Forest. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Forest
Phonetically similar names — useful when Forest is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Forest
What does the name Forest mean?
What is the origin of the name Forest?
How popular is Forest in 2026?
When was Forest most popular?
In which U.S. states is Forest most popular?
Is Forest a unisex name?
What names go well with Forest?
What are nicknames or variants of Forest?
About the name Forest
Forest is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 18K births in the dataset. Forest's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #222. Use the chart and map above to compare Forest's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "F" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.