Forrest

Forrest is a male first name that is occasionally also used for women. It originally derives from a Middle English surname and has the meaning 'the forest' or freely interpreted 'the dweller of the forest'. The name is particularly common in English-speaking countries.

What does the name Forrest mean?

The first name Forrest, which can be used for both men and women, has its roots in a Middle English surname and means 'the forest' or alternatively 'the dweller of the forest'. In Germany, the name is especially known because of the character Forrest Gump from the film of the same name (1994).

Where does the name Forrest come from?

The name Forrest has an Old French and Latin origin and means 'the forest' or 'the dweller of the forest'. The etymology consists of the Old French 'foresta' and the Latin 'forest'. The name is primarily found in American English.

How do you pronounce Forrest?

The pronunciation of Forrest is two syllables and has a compact structure. In German pronunciation, the name is usually rendered as 'Fo-rrest' [ˈfɔʁɛst], with the doubling of the 'r' creating a special fullness of sound. The final '-st' provides a clear and firm closure. This gives Forrest a calm and grounded impression - stable, compact, and with an English sound.

Popularity

Forrest is a rather rare first name in Germany. In the current ranking of the most popular male first names, it occupies the 5,840th place. Its best ranking was achieved in 2019 with 3,920th place. In the last ten years, the name has been given about 20 times, which places it at 5,320th in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 6,325th.

Famous people

• Forrest Behm (American football player)
• Forrest Browne (Bishop from Great Britain)
• Forrest Crissey (Writer from the USA)
• Forrest Douds (Football player from the USA)
• Forrest Fezler (Golfer from the USA)
• Forrest Gregg (Football player from America)
• Forrest Grigg (American football player)
• Forrest Gump (Film character)
• Forrest Hylton (American writer)
• Forrest Kline (Musician from the USA)
• Forrest Lamont (Singer from Canada)
• Forrest Landis (American actor)
• Forrest M. Hall (American football player)
• Forrest McClendon (Singer from America)
• Forrest McDonald (American historian)
• Forrest McKenzie (American basketball player)
• Forrest McPherson (American football player)
• Forrest Petz (Martial artist from the USA)
• Forrest Reid (English writer)
• Forrest Shreve (American botanist)