Forrest
English surname, from the noun forest.
Every Forrest since 1880 — 54,697 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Forrest
Forrest is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #374 in 2025 with 850 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 54,697 American babies have been named Forrest. Its peak came in 1994, when 1,381 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Forrest stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Forrest year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #8,532 | 850 | #374 |
| 2024 | 10 | #9,793 | 794 | #407 |
| 2023 | 21 | #5,817 | 746 | #424 |
| 2022 | 16 | #7,085 | 794 | #403 |
| 2021 | 11 | #9,172 | 745 | #414 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,544 | 640 | #462 |
| 2019 | 5 | #16,354 | 583 | #492 |
| 2018 | 6 | #14,402 | 484 | #570 |
| 2017 | 9 | #10,997 | 460 | #593 |
| 2016 | 8 | #12,138 | 423 | #632 |
| 2015 | — | — | 391 | #660 |
| 2014 | 6 | #15,223 | 338 | #713 |
| 2013 | 5 | #17,442 | 257 | #834 |
| 2012 | — | — | 154 | #1,180 |
| 2011 | — | — | 161 | #1,126 |
| 2010 | — | — | 162 | #1,144 |
| 2009 | — | — | 166 | #1,113 |
| 2008 | — | — | 129 | #1,339 |
| 2007 | — | — | 142 | #1,238 |
| 2006 | — | — | 147 | #1,150 |
| 2005 | — | — | 151 | #1,097 |
| 2004 | — | — | 158 | #1,037 |
| 2003 | — | — | 195 | #878 |
| 2002 | 5 | #16,295 | 194 | #856 |
| 2001 | — | — | 207 | #809 |
| 2000 | — | — | 252 | #697 |
| 1995 | 22 | #4,571 | 858 | #309 |
| 1990 | 5 | #13,680 | 542 | #421 |
| 1985 | — | — | 310 | #492 |
| 1980 | — | — | 333 | #463 |
| 1975 | 7 | #7,400 | 277 | #480 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,392 | 311 | #461 |
| 1965 | — | — | 348 | #419 |
| 1960 | 9 | #4,562 | 400 | #395 |
| 1955 | 7 | #4,882 | 504 | #329 |
| 1950 | 13 | #2,950 | 458 | #321 |
| 1945 | 6 | #4,200 | 441 | #285 |
| 1940 | 9 | #3,047 | 407 | #278 |
| 1935 | 9 | #3,006 | 422 | #264 |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,465 | 532 | #241 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,276 | 648 | #212 |
| 1920 | 14 | #2,507 | 792 | #178 |
| 1915 | 10 | #2,780 | 643 | #176 |
| 1910 | 9 | #1,679 | 103 | #230 |
| 1905 | — | — | 75 | #221 |
| 1900 | 6 | #1,810 | 66 | #252 |
| 1895 | 7 | #1,345 | 88 | #181 |
| 1890 | 10 | #891 | 56 | #222 |
| 1885 | — | — | 36 | #279 |
| 1880 | — | — | 36 | #280 |
Famous people named Forrest
- Forrest Smithson Athlete · 1884–1962
- Forrest Towns Athlete · 1914–1991
- Forrest J Ackerman Writer · 1916–2008
- Forrest Griffin Martial arts · b. 1979
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Forrest mean?
English surname, from the noun forest.
How popular is the name Forrest in 2025?
Forrest ranked #374 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 850 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Forrest?
54,697 babies have been named Forrest in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Forrest most popular?
Forrest peaked in 1994, when 1,381 newborns received the name.
Is Forrest a boy or girl name?
Forrest is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Forrest rising or falling?
Forrest is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Forrest?
Well-known people named Forrest include Forrest Smithson (athlete), Forrest Towns (athlete), Forrest J Ackerman (writer).