Forrest is an English given name of Scottish origin, derived from the Scottish surname "Forest". The surname Forest is believed to have originated from a place called Forres in Scotland, which means "great wood" or "large forest" in Gaelic.
The name Forrest was first used as a given name in the United States during the 19th century. It gained popularity among parents who were looking for unique and memorable names for their sons. Today, Forrest is still considered an uncommon name but it has been used consistently throughout the years.
There is no specific meaning associated with the name Forrest beyond its literal translation as "forest". However, some people associate the name with nature, wilderness, and all things related to forests.
Historically, there have not been any famous figures or historical events that are directly linked to the name Forrest. Therefore, it does not have a significant history attached to it like some other names do.
In popular culture, the most well-known Forrest is likely Forest Gump, the protagonist of the 1994 film "Forrest Gump" and its source novel by Winston Groom. While this character has helped to popularize the name Forrest, there is no evidence to suggest that it was inspired by any historical figure or event.
In conclusion, Forrest is an English given name of Scottish origin that means "forest". It does not have a significant history attached to it beyond its literal translation and has gained popularity as a unique and memorable name for boys in the United States.
The given statistics provide an interesting overview of the usage of the name Forrest over the past century and a half in the United States.
From 1880 to around the mid-1960s, the number of births with the name Forrest fluctuated between approximately 25 to 450 per year. During this period, there were several notable peaks, such as:
* In 1907, there were 115 births.
* In 1915 and 1916, there were over 600 births each year.
* The highest point during this era was in 1920 with 792 births.
After the mid-1960s, the popularity of the name Forrest began to decline significantly. From 1965 onwards, the number of annual births with the name Forrest dropped below 350, reaching as low as 142 in 2007.
However, since around 2013, there has been a resurgence in the popularity of the name Forrest. In recent years:
* There were 257 births in 2013.
* This number increased to 338 in 2014 and 391 in 2015.
* By 2020, there were 638 births, and this trend has continued with 744 births in 2021 and 793 in 2022.
In total, from 1880 to 2023, there have been approximately 51,977 births with the name Forrest in the United States. This data shows that while Forrest was once a popular name, it experienced a significant decline in usage but has seen a resurgence in recent years.