Given name & surname
Forrest
“a woodland dweller”·“from the woodland”
Forrest is a variant of Forest. Interpretations include “a woodland dweller” (English) and “from the woodland” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Forrest is a variant of Forest. Interpretations include “a woodland dweller” (English) and “from the woodland” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Forrest is a variant of Forest. An origin associated with Forest is English.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Forrest through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 54,697
- 53,639 boys · 1,058 girls
- Most popular year
- 1994
- 1,381 babies
- 2025
- 862
- #374 for boys · #8,532 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +52%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 98% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 850 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 374 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 51.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,343 in 1994. It also appeared in 12 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (57). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 26,456 as a first name in 2020; 21,977 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Forrest’s family of names
Forrest has a related form in Forest. In Greek usage, Forrest as a surname is a transliteration of Φόρρεστ.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Forrest has relatives in 3 languages.
2 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Forrest
- Dickey BettsAmerican guitarist (1943–2024)
- Forrest J AckermanAmerican collector of science fiction books and movie memorabilia (1916-2008)
- Forrest TownsAmerican hurdler (1914–1991)
- Forrest Smithsonathletics competitor (1884-1962)
- Forrest GriffinAmerican mixed martial artistborn 1979
- Forrest TuckerAmerican actor (1919–1986)
- Forrest GoodluckAmerican actorborn 1998
- Asa Earl CarterAmerican speech writer and novelist (1925–1979)
- Forrest StanleyAmerican actor (1889-1969)1885–1969
Characters named Forrest: Forrest Gump (fictional character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Forrest, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Darian
“a wise woman” · “from the oak tree”
94% boys · 6% girls
Stone
“as solid as a stone”
94% boys · 6% girls
Foret
“one who lives near the forest”
—
Lamar
“from the renowned land” · “of the sea”
86% boys · 14% girls
Barkley
“birch tree” · “wood or clearing”
98% boys · 2% girls
Ashton
“from the ash-tree town”
95% boys · 5% girls
Fordyn
“from the water” · “from the river crossing”
—
Fordun
“from the water” · “from the river crossing”
—