Forest
Boy name · #750 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Forest? In official American birth records, Forest has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Forest against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Forest in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Forest is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Forest will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Forest is most common
Geography matters for names, and Forest is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Forest is most common in OR (0.9 per 1,000), CO (0.7 per 1,000), WA (0.6 per 1,000), UT (0.5 per 1,000), TN (0.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Forest is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
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
How old is the name Forest?
In official American birth records, the name Forest first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 30 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.