Forest
French surname, from Old French forest (“forest”).
Every Forest since 1880 — 18,377 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Forest
Forest is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #750 in 2025 with 344 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 18,377 American babies have been named Forest. Its peak came in 2022, when 391 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Forest stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Forest year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #8,531 | 344 | #750 |
| 2024 | 19 | #6,245 | 365 | #720 |
| 2023 | 23 | #5,446 | 350 | #746 |
| 2022 | 16 | #7,084 | 375 | #704 |
| 2021 | 13 | #8,182 | 361 | #718 |
| 2020 | 15 | #7,334 | 291 | #798 |
| 2019 | 17 | #6,818 | 243 | #905 |
| 2018 | 8 | #11,777 | 212 | #979 |
| 2017 | 11 | #9,532 | 201 | #1,008 |
| 2016 | 6 | #14,948 | 178 | #1,102 |
| 2015 | 5 | #17,346 | 135 | #1,309 |
| 2014 | — | — | 132 | #1,325 |
| 2013 | — | — | 104 | #1,537 |
| 2012 | — | — | 76 | #1,898 |
| 2011 | — | — | 84 | #1,743 |
| 2010 | — | — | 83 | #1,785 |
| 2009 | — | — | 67 | #2,058 |
| 2008 | — | — | 79 | #1,844 |
| 2007 | — | — | 69 | #2,021 |
| 2006 | — | — | 47 | #2,551 |
| 2005 | — | — | 62 | #2,016 |
| 2004 | — | — | 55 | #2,142 |
| 2003 | — | — | 69 | #1,751 |
| 2002 | — | — | 67 | #1,728 |
| 2001 | — | — | 59 | #1,876 |
| 2000 | — | — | 83 | #1,481 |
| 1995 | 11 | #7,690 | 205 | #749 |
| 1990 | — | — | 97 | #1,084 |
| 1985 | — | — | 48 | #1,419 |
| 1980 | 6 | #9,451 | 103 | #884 |
| 1975 | 7 | #7,399 | 76 | #942 |
| 1970 | — | — | 72 | #943 |
| 1965 | — | — | 87 | #799 |
| 1960 | — | — | 90 | #807 |
| 1955 | — | — | 104 | #717 |
| 1950 | — | — | 115 | #648 |
| 1945 | 5 | #4,774 | 111 | #577 |
| 1940 | — | — | 124 | #521 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,445 | 129 | #506 |
| 1930 | — | — | 206 | #409 |
| 1925 | 11 | #3,006 | 251 | #376 |
| 1920 | 9 | #3,429 | 292 | #343 |
| 1915 | 10 | #2,779 | 252 | #333 |
| 1910 | 5 | #2,548 | 65 | #304 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,051 | 56 | #264 |
| 1900 | — | — | 53 | #285 |
| 1895 | — | — | 52 | #249 |
| 1890 | 10 | #890 | 37 | #285 |
| 1885 | — | — | 30 | #310 |
| 1880 | — | — | 30 | #308 |
Famous people named Forest
- Forest Whitaker Actor · b. 1961
- Forest Ray Moulton Astronomer · 1872–1952
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Forest mean?
French surname, from Old French forest (“forest”).
How popular is the name Forest in 2025?
Forest ranked #750 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 344 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Forest?
18,377 babies have been named Forest in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Forest most popular?
Forest peaked in 2022, when 391 newborns received the name.
Is Forest a boy or girl name?
Forest is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 97% of babies with the name.
Is the name Forest rising or falling?
Forest is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Forest?
Well-known people named Forest include Forest Whitaker (actor), Forest Ray Moulton (astronomer).