Quest

♀ Girl

Pronounced KWEST /ˈkwɛst/High

Meaning: The English word quest — a search, a journey undertaken with purpose — used as a modern word-name. It comes through Old French from the Latin quaerere, 'to seek'. It has no naming tradition of its own, and is used for girls and boys alike; we note both plainly.Medium

In 30 seconds: Quest is the English word for a purposeful journey, used as a name (said 'KWEST'). A word-name, which we note.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningThe English word quest — a search, a journey undertaken with purpose — used as a modern word-name. It comes through Old French from the Latin quaerere, 'to seek'. It has no naming tradition of its own, and is used for girls and boys alike; we note both plainly.

U.S. rank (2024)#14819 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1998

Total births (all-time)≈ 54

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Quest is the English word for a search or a purposeful journey, given as a modern name. It reaches English through Old French from the Latin quaerere, 'to seek' — the same root behind question and inquire — and it carries all the ring of the old romances, where a quest was the shape a knight's life took. As a given name it belongs to the bold word-name wave, has no traditional history, and is used for girls and boys alike. We note all of that honestly (said 'KWEST').

It appears only very rarely in U.S. records. Very rare, bold, and word-simple.

Did you know? Quest comes from the Latin quaerere, 'to seek' — the same root that gives us question and inquiry. The name is a search made into a word.

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Quest — English word-name; Latin quaerere 'to seek'; unisex; no invented etymology

Variations

QuestaQuestinQuinn

Nicknames

QQuesty

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Quest…

Journey— a like journey word-name

Legend— a like bold modern word-name

Sage— a like one-beat unisex pick

Coast— shares the -st ending

Everest— echoes that soft -st sound

Explore names like Quest

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Quest mean?

Quest is the English word for a search or purposeful journey, from the Latin quaerere, 'to seek'. It is used as a modern word-name.

How do you pronounce Quest?

It's said KWEST /ˈkwɛst/ — one syllable.

Is Quest a boy or girl name?

Quest is used for both girls and boys — as a word-name it is not tied to either.

How popular is Quest?

Quest is a very rare name in the U.S.