Forrest

Did you know?

A few things about Forrest you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Forrest

Forrest Smithson

Athletics competitor (1884-1962)

Choose Forrest and your child shares a first name with Forrest Smithson, an athletics competitor. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Forrest, like who?” Forrest Smithson's Wikipedia article is available in 23 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Forrest Smithson on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 2,010 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Forrest, 850 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Forrest would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryForrest has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Forrests, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIts best year was 1913, when it reached #173.
• 📈Then vs nowForrest is 3.9× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 7,794 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 2,010.
• 🚀TrendForrest has climbed 88 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #374. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedForrest is most popular in Maine, where it ranks #126, followed by North Dakota (#170) and Kentucky (#203). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
• 💬MeaningIn English, Forrest means “forest”. Our records link it to English and French roots.

About the name Forrest

Forrest is a boy name of English and French origin meaning “forest”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with F and ending in “-est”. US birth records list Forrest for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1913, when it ranked #173 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #374, with 850 babies.

Origin:English namesFrench names