Is Forest a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Forest is commonly used as a Unisex name.

How popular is Forest?

It’s currently ranked #591 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

How do you pronounce Forest?

FOR-est · IPA: //ˈfɔːr.ɪst//

Forest Unisex

Popularity: #591 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

PronunciationFOR-est / /ˈfɔːr.ɪst/

English; Latin

Meaning

English: woods; Latin: forest

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Forest is derived from the English word for a wooded area. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. The name reflects a connection to nature and the outdoors, which has been a significant theme in various cultures. In literature, forests often symbolize mystery and adventure.

Trend Summary

The name Forest has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, particularly in nature-inspired naming trends.

Variants

Forrest

International Variants

Foresta (Italian)
Foret (French)

Famous people named Forest

—

Fictional characters named Forest

Forest Spirit is a character in the animated film 'Princess Mononoke', representing the balance of nature.

Sibling Suggestions

River Sky Lake Stone Briar Sage

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Forest was first seen in the United States in 1880. Forest has ranked as high as #1021 nationally, which occurred in 2022, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, Kentucky, Texas, and North Carolina. In the past 5 years the name Forest has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Forest (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
CA	46	15%
TX	26	8%
WA	15	5%
OR	14	5%
TN	14	5%
NY	13	4%
OH	13	4%
FL	13	4%
KY	11	4%
AZ	11	4%
WI	11	4%
IL	11	4%
NC	11	4%
IN	10	3%
MI	10	3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	30
1881	18
1882	27
1883	28
1884	33
1885	30
1886	44
1887	28
1888	36
1889	24
1890	37
1891	41
1892	49
1893	59
1894	32
1895	52
1896	50
1897	50
1898	62
1899	38
1900	53
1901	45
1902	59
1903	47
1904	65
1905	56
1906	58
1907	61
1908	50
1909	47
1910	65
1911	85
1912	121
1913	176
1914	228
1915	252
1916	300
1917	286
1918	316
1919	296
1920	292
1921	253
1922	299
1923	270
1924	269
1925	251
1926	235
1927	229
1928	242
1929	222
1930	206
1931	198
1932	155
1933	171
1934	137
1935	129
1936	119
1937	143
1938	110
1939	125
1940	124
1941	141
1942	127
1943	128
1944	139
1945	111
1946	100
1947	164
1948	108
1949	134
1950	115
1951	102
1952	98
1953	112
1954	103
1955	104
1956	93
1957	107
1958	112
1959	91
1960	90
1961	85
1962	88
1963	84
1964	82
1965	87
1966	74
1967	60
1968	78
1969	51
1970	72
1971	87
1972	64
1973	57
1974	87
1975	76
1976	81
1977	86
1978	68
1979	80
1980	103
1981	83
1982	72
1983	71
1984	70
1985	48
1986	80
1987	86
1988	82
1989	92
1990	97
1991	131
1992	165
1993	207
1994	252
1995	205
1996	115
1997	105
1998	110
1999	80
2000	83
2001	59
2002	67
2003	69
2004	55
2005	62
2006	47
2007	69
2008	79
2009	67
2010	83
2011	84
2012	76
2013	104
2014	132
2015	135
2016	178
2017	201
2018	212
2019	243
2020	289
2021	360
2022	375
2023	350
2024	361