Forest
Boy name · #750 in 2025 · Uniqueness 54/100
Forest ranks #750 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 344 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1307, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,233 boys born in 2025 was named Forest.
The 145-year story
Forest first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 30 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 375 babies and a rank of #703. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Forest per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Forest against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Forest in class?
Forest scores 54 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Forest is most common
Geography matters for names, and Forest is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Forests were CA (43), TX (24), WA (20), CO (18), OH (15). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Forest
Statistically, parents drawn to Forest tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Everest, West, Quest, Foster, and Benedict.
EverestWestQuestFosterBenedictFrancoMurphyMarcel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Forest | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 344 | #750 |
| 2024 | 365 | #720 |
| 2023 | 350 | #746 |
| 2022 | 375 | #703 |
| 2021 | 361 | #718 |
| 2020 | 291 | #796 |
| 2019 | 243 | #905 |
| 2018 | 212 | #979 |
| 2017 | 201 | #1007 |
| 2016 | 178 | #1102 |
| 2015 | 135 | #1307 |
| 2014 | 132 | #1321 |
| 2013 | 104 | #1537 |
| 2012 | 76 | #1891 |
| 2011 | 84 | #1738 |
| 2010 | 83 | #1778 |
| 2009 | 67 | #2050 |
| 2008 | 79 | #1838 |
| 2007 | 69 | #2016 |
| 2006 | 47 | #2542 |
| 2005 | 62 | #2008 |
| 2004 | 55 | #2131 |
| 2003 | 69 | #1749 |
| 2002 | 67 | #1723 |
| 2001 | 59 | #1871 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Forest a popular boy name?
Forest ranked #750 among boys in 2025 with 344 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1307.
When was the name Forest most popular?
Forest peaked in 2022, when 375 American boys received the name (ranked #703 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Forest?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,233 newborn American boys was named Forest. It scores 54/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.