Forrest

Forrest - A very unique male name

Forrest appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #241. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Forrest and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Forrest? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Forrest. The baby boy name Forrest was given to 829 baby boys in 2025, ranking #372 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,769 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Forrest peaked in popularity 113 years ago in 1913 on position 172.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Forrest, 1-5?

Forrest is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Forrest is currently topping the baby name charts in Maine at position #132 - and is the least popular in Maryland at position #744.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Forrest is where you live.

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Forrest origin and meaning

English (surname and word name)

'Forest, woods' — originally for someone who lived by a forest

Forrest is the double-r spelling of the woodland word name, long used as a surname and given name since 1910 in US data. The 1994 film Forrest Gump drove its 1994 peak; after a long dip it has been rising again since 2020.

Attested etymology

Forrest is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Forrest, pop culture references for the name Forrest and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Forrest

We've found the following names that sound similar to Forrest, sorted by popularity.

Forest / Forster /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Forrest

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Forrest a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Forrest?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

FOR-ist · /ˈfɔːrɪst/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Forest — The single-r spelling, identical to the word

Nicknames: Forr

Famous bearers

• Forrest Whitaker — Actor, Academy Award winner for The Last King of Scotland (b. 1961) Contemporary
• Forrest Gump — Title character of the 1994 film, played by Tom Hanks (Fictional, 1994) Fictional

Style

NatureSurnameWord name

Why parents choose it

Parents like its woodsy, gentle outdoors feel, and the Gump connection has softened into nostalgia.

Worth knowing

• Forrest Gump remains the dominant association, including 'Run, Forrest, run.'
• Forest and Forrest spellings are constantly swapped.