110 Names That Mean Forest: Full of Magical Adventure

Updated
Journey into the wilderness to discover the most captivating and rustic names that mean forest for baby boys and girls.

Nature-inspired baby names carry a deep sense of strength and adventure. Parents love woodland names because they feel grounded, timeless, and full of life. We put together a huge list of the best names that mean forest to help you find the perfect match. You will discover unique meanings, deep origins, and cool legends below.

Pick one of these fresh forest names to give your child a lifetime of natural inspiration.


28 Magical Names That Mean Forest for Girls

Each of these glowing forest names for girls is full of intrigue and history.

  1. Aase: A pretty Scandinavian name meaning “tree-covered mountain.”
  2. Abnoba: A rare choice inspired by a Gaulish forest and nature goddess.
  3. Aja: Named after a Yoruba nature deity, making a sweet pick among girl names meaning forest with three letters.
  4. Aranyani: Named after the Hindu goddess of the forests.
  5. Artemis: This awesome name was borne by the Greek goddess who presided over the wilderness.
  6. Avalon: A Welsh girl’s name from Arthurian legend, referring to “the Island of Apple Trees.”
  7. Devana: A stylish name inspired by a Slavic goddess of hunting and forests.
  8. Diana: A royal name meaning “divine,” borne by the outdoorsy Roman goddess of the hunt.
  9. Ebony: A rich English name named after the dark color of a tree’s bark.
  10. Fauna: Reminding us of baby deer, this name takes inspiration from a Roman goddess of woodlands and animals.
  11. Fiadh: An Irish female name growing in popularity, with rustic meanings including “deer” and “wildness.”
  12. Forestina: Or Forestine, both represent pretty, feminine takes on Forest.
  13. Forestra: A girly alternative to Forestina, great if you want something unique.
  14. Keitha: A feminine form of the Celtic masculine name Keith, meaning “root.”
  15. Kimberley: A popular English name meaning “from the woodland of the royal fortress.”
  16. Lâm: A Vietnamese pick among 3-letter names that mean “forest.”
  17. Medeina: This pretty name belonged to a Lithuanian goddess of forests and trees.
  18. Mielikki: A captivating Finnish name inspired by a goddess of forests and the hunt.
  19. Moriko: A cute Japanese girl name to bestow upon a little “forest child.”
  20. Oihana: A feminine form of Oihan, which is a masculine name meaning “forest” in Basque.
  21. Olivia: An infinitely popular green, forest-inspired girl name, meaning “olive tree.”
  22. Silvestra: A pretty variant of Silvia for a female who comes “from the forest.”
  23. Silvia: A glittering Latin name for a “woodland” girl.
  24. Sylwia: A Polish variant of Silvia, meaning “woodland.”
  25. Tuulikki: Another folkloric Finnish name meaning “wind,” borne by a forest goddess.
  26. Xinlin: A romantic Chinese name with various meanings, such as “forest” and “dawn.”
  27. Xyla: Featuring an intriguing spelling, this Greek girl’s name means “woodland dweller.”
  28. Xylina: An even more melodic form of Xyla for a Greek “woodland-dwelling girl.”

65 Adventurous Names Meaning Forest for Boys

Any boy would love one of these awesome forest names from deep in the wilderness.

  1. Adahy: A sweet Native American name for a boy who “lives in the woods.”
  2. Adare: A unique but captivating Gaelic name for a boy “from the oak grove.”
  3. Adoeete: A Native American forest-themed name, meaning “tree” in Kiowa.
  4. Ailill: This spiritual Old Irish mythology name means “elf,” as though it originated deep in the woodlands.
  5. Alf: A magical fantasy elven name from Nordic folklore that brings forest mischief to mind.
  6. Altwidus: A classic Germanic name meaning “old forest.”
  7. Arvid: This Scandi boy’s name soars, thanks to its spectacular meaning of “forest of eagles.”
  8. Berstuk: Named after an evil forest god from Slavic mythology.
  9. Boise: A U.S. state capital name rooted in French, meaning “wooded.”
  10. Bosque: The Spanish word for “woodlands, forest,” making a cozy but cool name for men.
  11. Boyce: An ultra-masculine English name meaning “woods,” rooted in French.
  12. Brisbois: A French surname traditionally given to a forest cleaner, meaning “breaks wood.”
  13. Briscoe: Meaning “birch wood,” this sturdy English surname looks rather stylish as a given name.
  14. Calhoun: A standout Irish and Scottish last name, meaning “narrow woods.”
  15. Chesney: An autumnal pick meaning “camp” or “oak grove.”
  16. Dagwood: A fun, edgy name with the Old English meaning of “shining forest.”
  17. Dubois: Or Du Bois, another French surname meaning “from the forest.”
  18. Ealdwode: A very old English name that means “old forest.”
  19. Elwood: Beautifully connotes an “elder tree forest” full of nobility and adventure.
  20. Faunus: A romantic name inspired by the ancient Roman guardian god of forests.
  21. Firth: An Old English surname relating to a “woodland.”
  22. Forrest: This spelling of “forest” gained huge popularity from the hit movie Forrest Gump.
  23. Garwood: A strong English surname meaning “fir forest” or “spearhead.”
  24. Guido: A form of the Germanic Wido, meaning “wood,” and also meaning “guide” as an Italian boy’s name.
  25. Guy: Derived from Guido, meaning “wood,” making a tough name for a lad.
  26. Herne: Inspired by a creepy, forest-dwelling, antlered hunter ghost of English folklore.
  27. Horst: A dated German name for a man from the “woods.”
  28. Jack: A classic English name meaning “God is gracious,” cute for a little lumberjack in the making.
  29. Kalpvan: A Hindi male name believed to mean “forest of wishes.”
  30. Keith: A noble English and Scottish name meaning “wood.”
  31. Kingsley: The most noble of forest names, meaning “from the king’s wood, lea.”
  32. Lafayette: Meaning “beech tree forest,” this longer pick serves as an awesome French surname and given name.
  33. Laramie: Or Laramy, both elegant-sounding French names referring to leafy woodlands.
  34. Lee: A common first name and surname derived from an Old English word meaning “forest, clearing.”
  35. Lennox: A musical Scottish surname-turned-first-name, meaning “elm grove.”
  36. Leshy: Inspired by a spirit forest deity from Slavic mythology.
  37. Lin: Beautiful and international, this Asian name has various meanings, including “forest” and “gem.”
  38. Linwood: Gorgeously referring to a “linden tree valley,” making it a magical British boy name.
  39. Manyam: Translating to “like the forest,” a rare yet magical Indian name to consider.
  40. Mata: A punchy Portuguese surname meaning “forest, woods,” that makes a fun Matt alternative.
  41. Nahele: Featuring Native American and Hawaiian origins, this cool boy name means “forest.”
  42. Norwood: Originally an Old English surname meaning “northern woods.”
  43. Oakley: An impossibly romantic name meaning “meadow of oak trees.”
  44. Oihan: A cute Basque entry among international names that mean “forest.”
  45. Porvata: Named after a forest god from Polish mythology.
  46. Ranger: An occupational name for a kid who loves patrolling the wilderness.
  47. Selvans: A sacred Etruscan god of woodlands and forests.
  48. Sherwood: Named after the famous British forest, home of legendary archer Robin Hood.
  49. Silas: A handsome Latin name for a man whose heart is “of the forest.”
  50. Silvestro: A strong, earthy pick among woodland names from Latin.
  51. Soto: A Hispanic surname meaning “wood, grove of trees.”
  52. Sylvanus: Inspired by the Roman god of woodlands.
  53. Sylvester: This Silvestro alternative carries “wooded, wild” connotations.
  54. Tāne: Inspired by a Maori god of forests and birds.
  55. Tapio: A fun name inspired by the Finnish god of forests, animals, and hunting.
  56. Udell: This romantic English name takes inspiration from a valley of yew trees.
  57. Vipin: A trendy pick among Indian names meaning “forest” for boys.
  58. Vitold: A Germanic name meaning “ruler of the forest” or “chaser of the people” from Lithuanian.
  59. Waldorf: This classic name means “village in the forest.”
  60. Wido: From Old High German, this short yet sweet name means “wood.”
  61. Widukind: A fierce Germanic boy’s name with the sweet meaning of “child of the forest.”
  62. Witold: Similar to Vitold, a Polish name meaning “ruler of the forest.”
  63. Wood: A handsome and earthy name traditionally used for a family living by a forest.
  64. Woodrow: A presidential name meaning “row of houses by a wood.”
  65. Woody: One of the friendliest male names meaning wood, great for any little explorer.

17 Glowing, Gender-Neutral Forest Names for Babies

Send your new arrival on the ultimate adventure with one of these unique unisex names that mean forest.

  1. Aranya: A gender-neutral Indian name meaning “forest” from Sanskrit.
  2. Archer: Fit for any explorer, this occupational name sounds like it came straight from a forest.
  3. Bambi: A cutesy Italian name meaning “child,” famously borne by the Disney deer of the forest.
  4. Bwindi: Rare yet special, inspired by the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest jungle home of gorillas in Uganda.
  5. Cedar: An awesomely strong name inspired by the famous tree.
  6. Enys: A rare unisex Celtic name meaning “island” and “forest clearing.”
  7. Forest: Makes a spectacular choice among unisex names that mean forest.
  8. Foster: This trendy surname-turned-first name means “forester, woodsman.”
  9. Grove: Or Grover, both cool, forest-related picks inspired by small clusters of trees.
  10. Hunter: An old occupational name that sounds right at home in a forest.
  11. Kanan: As an Indian name, Kanan means “forest” in Sanskrit.
  12. Kim: From Kimberley, an internationally popular pick among “wood” nicknames, also meaning “gold” in Vietnam.
  13. Pine: Named after the festive tree, inspired by the wondrous Crooked Forest in Poland.
  14. Presley: A famous name from Old English, meaning “forest clearing of the priest.”
  15. Sawyer: An adventurous literary name traditionally given to someone who saws wood.
  16. Sequoyah: Means “sparrow” in Cherokee, but it makes us think of spectacular California redwood tree forests.
  17. Silva: This common Portuguese surname means “forest” and sounds positively shimmery.

Forest Names FAQs

Is Forest a Rare Name?

Forest is not the most common among nature names, but it certainly stands out. Forest, along with its variant Foster, works nicely as a gender-neutral option. You can also look at Forestine, Forestina, or Forestra as pretty feminine options. Inspired by the classic movie Forrest Gump, you could even spell Forrest with two Rs.

What Name Means Goddess of the Forest?

Many gorgeous names take inspiration from forest goddesses in mythology. You might love Abnoba, Artemis, Diana, Aranyani, Devana, Fauna, Tuulikki, Mielikki, and Medeina. For boys, we love forest-inspired godly names like Faunus, Berstuk, Selvans, Tāne, Sylvanus, Tapio, and Porvata.

What Are Some Unique Baby Names That Mean Woods?

If you want something rare, consider names like Ealdwode, which means “old forest” in English, or Bosque, the Spanish word for woodlands. Other unique options include Linwood, meaning “linden tree valley,” and Xyla, meaning “woodland dweller.”

Which Japanese Names Mean Forest?

Moriko is one of the most popular Japanese names associated with forests. It translates to “forest child,” making it an incredibly sweet and fitting name for a baby girl.

What Girl Name Means Deep Forest?

Sylvia and its variants, such as Sylwia or Silvestra, strongly relate to the deep forest. They stem from Latin origins meaning “woodland” or “spirit of the wood.”

What Boy Name Means Protector of the Forest?

Vitold and Witold are fantastic choices if you want a protective meaning. Derived from Germanic and Polish roots, these names translate roughly to “ruler of the forest.”

Are Nature Names Popular for Modern Babies?

Yes, nature-inspired names have seen a huge surge in modern baby naming. Names like Oliver, Oakley, Willow, and Rowan dominate baby name charts because they feel earthy, strong, and highly approachable.

What Is a Good Middle Name for a Forest-Themed First Name?

When choosing a middle name for a forest-inspired first name, try balancing the length. A shorter first name like Pine pairs well with a longer, classic middle name like Alexander. Alternatively, a multisyllabic first name like Forestina sounds beautiful paired with a single-syllable middle name like Jane or Rose.

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About the Author

Madeleine Lily Webb

Madeleine is a writer from somewhere near Manchester, England. Madeleine's background in languages and linguistics has led to baby names becoming one of her favorite topics to write about. When she's not fallen down a rabbit hole of stories behind unique names, Madeleine can be found hanging out with her cat, taking photos of flowers, or dancing.