Boy name · English
Forest
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: woodlandForest is a boy's name that comes from English and means "woodland". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Woodland
- Origin
- English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #750 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Forest
As a boy's name, Forest comes from English and means "woodland". It is used in English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Forest on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Forest on 2 lists.
“Woodland; English. Earthy and grounded”
From Boy middle names, nature middle names for boys
“English word name for the woodland itself, the simpler spelling of Forrest”
From Nature names, nature names for boys
How popular is Forest?
- US rank in 2025
- #750
- 344 babies, 201 per million boys
- Best rank
- #223 in 1893
- Most babies: 375 in 2022
- Babies since 1880
- At least 17,784
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 272 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 412 per million |
| 1900s | 399 per million |
| 1910s | 318 per million |
| 1920s | 232 per million |
| 1930s | 141 per million |
| 1940s | 86 per million |
| 1950s | 51 per million |
| 1960s | 40 per million |
| 1970s | 46 per million |
| 1980s | 43 per million |
| 1990s | 75 per million |
| 2000s | 33 per million |
| 2010s | 77 per million |
| 2020s | 201 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,102 | #1,008 | #979 | #905 | #798 | #718 | #704 | #746 | #720 | #750 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Forest
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- ForrestOf the forest (Old French, boy)
- ForbesFrom Forbes in Aberdeenshire (Scottish place name, boy)
- FlorentFlourishing, blossoming (Latin, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
Middle names for Forest
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from English
- AinsleyFrom a place named for a solitary or hermitage clearing (English, unisex)
- ArmstrongStrong in the arm (English, boy)
- JacksonFrom a surname meaning son of Jack (English, boy)
- ScottFrom Scotland (English, boy)
- AceFrom the English word ace, highest rank (English, boy)
- AdairFrom a surname derived from Edgar (English, unisex)
- AndersonSon of Andrew (English, boy)
- ArloMeaning uncertain; perhaps from Spenser's Arlo Hill (English, boy)
- AyrtonSettlement on the River Aire (English, boy)
- BayA sheltered curve of coast (English, unisex)
- BensonFrom a surname meaning son of Benedict (English, boy)
- BrysonFrom a surname meaning son of Brice (English, boy)
- CarterCart driver (English, boy)
- CedarFragrant evergreen tree (English, boy)
- ChaseHunter (English, boy)
- ColterFrom a surname for a keeper of horses (English, boy)
- CooperBarrel maker (English, boy)
- CrewFrom the English word crew, a group of people (English, boy)
Forest: common questions
What does the name Forest mean?
Forest comes from English and means "woodland".
Is Forest a boy or girl name?
Forest is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 12 girls and 344 boys in the US were named Forest, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Forest come from?
Forest comes from English and means "woodland". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Forest?
Forest ranked #750 in the US in 2025, with 344 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Forest?
Names spelled like Forest include Forrest, Forbes and Florent.
What middle names go with Forest?
Middle names that flow well with Forest include Abel, Drake, Levi, Micah and Peter. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.