This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance: Name: Forrest – Meaning: One who lived or worked near a forest, originally a wooded area reserved for hunting; from the English surname. – Origin: English – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: FOR-ist
Forrest is a name for a boy that comes from an English surname, originally used for someone who lived or worked near a forest — back when that word meant a wooded area set aside for hunting. It's pronounced FOR-ist, and it has an easy, outdoorsy feel paired with an old-fashioned charm, the kind of name that sounds rooted in the countryside and in history at the same time.
Meaning & Origin of Forrest
Meaning: One who lived or worked near a forest, originally a wooded area reserved for hunting; from the english surname..
Origin: English.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Forrest
Phonetic: FOR-ist IPA: /ˈfɔːrɪst/
Popularity of Forrest
Forrest hit its high point back in 1913, ranking #173 with 395 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had settled to #407, given to 788 babies.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Forrest Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Forrest, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Forrest mean?
One who lived or worked near a forest, originally a wooded area reserved for hunting; from the english surname.. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Forrest)
How do you pronounce Forrest?
Forrest is pronounced FOR-ist (IPA: /ˈfɔːrɪst/).
Is Forrest a popular name right now?
Forrest peaked at #173 in 1913 and is ranked #407 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Forrest? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
🎨 Get Printable Name Art for Forrest
Beautiful nursery-ready 8×10" print with name & meaning
Preview & Download →More Baby Name Inspiration
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
