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Forrest

♂ Boy

Pronounced FOR-est /ˈfɒr.ɪst/High

Meaning: From Old French 'forest' and Medieval Latin 'foresta', meaning an outdoor wooded area — originally applied to a royal hunting preserve. A topographic surname for someone who lived near or worked in a forest.High

In 30 seconds: Forrest is a rugged Old French surname meaning 'dweller in the forest'. The double-t spelling distinguishes it as a given name, forever associated with the beloved character Forrest Gump — a name now synonymous with innocent American greatness.
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Origin HighOld French, Medieval Latin
MeaningFrom Old French 'forest' and Medieval Latin 'foresta', meaning an outdoor wooded area — originally applied to a royal hunting preserve. A topographic surname for someone who lived near or worked in a forest.
U.S. rank (2025)#374 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births850 boys (0.05% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1994
Total births (all-time)≈ 53,628

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199418802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Forrest derives from Old French forest and Medieval Latin foresta, meaning an outdoor wooded area — specifically a royal hunting reserve. As a topographic surname, Forrest was applied to families living near or working in woodland areas. The double-t spelling distinguishes the given name use from the common noun forest.

Forrest has been used as a given name in the United States since the nineteenth century, particularly in the South. The 1994 Academy Award-winning film Forrest Gump, starring Tom Hanks, made the name iconic — the simple, kind, extraordinary title character became one of American cinema's most beloved figures. The film gave Forrest a warm, innocent, deeply American character that has made it a steadily appealing name.

Did you know? The main character of the 1994 film Forrest Gump was named after Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate Civil War general — yet the character Forrest Gump became one of the most universally beloved figures in American cinema, completely transforming the name's cultural associations.
Overall data confidence 93%
Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames — Old French forest etymology and topographic surname historySocial Security Administration Name Data — US popularity correlated with 1994 film release

Variations

ForestForester

Nicknames

ForsForry

Famous Bearers

  • ★Forrest Gump (fictional) (1994)
    Title character of the Academy Award-winning film, played by Tom Hanks — one of American cinema's most beloved characters.

If you like Forrest…

Banks— nature-adjacent surname name with the same rugged, outdoorsy American quality
Chase— one-syllable Old English surname name with the same outdoors-hunting heritage
Wade— one-syllable nature-water name with the same understated, rugged American character

Frequently Asked

What does the name Forrest mean?

Forrest means 'dweller in the forest' or 'woodsman', from Old French forest (a royal wooded hunting ground).

How do you pronounce Forrest?

Forrest is pronounced FOR-est (/ˈfɒr.ɪst/), two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Forrest a boy or girl name?

Forrest is a boy's name.

How popular is Forrest?

Forrest has been growing in the US top 300–500 boys' names since the 1994 film Forrest Gump made it culturally iconic.