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.

There’s so much adventure and magic to be found inside baby names that mean forest – each glowing with as much history and strength as a mighty tree.

Nature names connote nurture and possibility, so it’s easy to see why parents would be enchanted by such options. We’ve gathered a whole jungle of the most enticing names, meaning forest, for you to explore, including all their unique meanings, origins, and legends.

Give your child endless adventure by bestowing one of these fabulous forest names upon them, and watch them sprout to their full potential!


28 Magical Names That Mean Forest for Girls

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

  1. Aase – is a pretty Scandinavian name meaning “three-covered mountain.”
  2. Abnoba – a rare choice inspired by a Gaulish forest and nature goddess.
  3. Aja – after a Yoruba nature deity, making a sweet pick among girl names meaning forest with 3-letters.
  4. Aranyani – 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 after the dreamy dark color of a tree’s bark.
  10. Fauna – reminding us of cute baby deer, inspired by 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 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 – the cutest Japanese girl name to bestow upon a little “forest child.”
  20. Oihana – a feminine form of Oihan and 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 frolics “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 – with the most 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 – the most magical among fantasy elven names from Nordic folklore, bringing forest mischief to mind.
  6. Altwidus – a frumpy Germanic name meaning “old forest.”
  7. Arvid – this Scandi boy’s name soars, thanks to its spectacular meaning of “forest of eagles.”
  8. Berstuk – after an evil forest god from Slavic mythology.
  9. Boise – a U.S. state capital name rooted in French, meaning “wooded.”
  10. Bosque – is the Spanish word for “woodlands, forest” – 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 for a forest cleaner, meaning “breaks wood.”
  13. Briscoe – meaning “birch wood,” this sturdy English surname is rather stylish as a given name.
  14. Calhoun – a standout Irish and Scottish last name, meaning “narrow woods.”
  15. Chesney – is 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, this one meaning “from the forest.”
  18. Ealdwode – very old among names that mean woods, meaning “old forest” in English.
  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” was used by the titular character in 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,” also meaning “guide” as an Italian boy’s name.
  25. Guy – from Guido, meaning “wood,” 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 is 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,” a magical British boy name.
  39. Manyam – for a boy, “like the forest,” a rare yet magical Indian name to consider.
  40. Mata – a punchy Portuguese surname meaning “forest, woods,” that’d make a fun Matt alternative.
  41. Nahele – with Native American and Hawaiian origins, this cool boy name means “forest.”
  42. Norwood – also 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 – after a forest god from Polish mythology.
  46. Ranger – an occupational name for a kid who loves patrolling in the wilderness.
  47. Selvans – a sacred Etruscan god of woodlands and forests.
  48. Sherwood – 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 “woody” 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 has “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 dated, salad-inspired 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 – like Vitold, a Polish name meaning “ruler of the forest.”
  63. Wood – a handsome and earthy name, traditionally 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 – is 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, pretty clusters of trees.
  10. Hunter – an old occupational name that sounds as though it belongs 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 – 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’s certainly a beautiful one. Forest, or a variant Foster, may be gender-neutral, with Forestine, Forestina, or Forestra as pretty feminine options. Inspired by the classic movie Forrest Gump, you could even spell Forrest with two “r’s!”

What Name Means Goddess of the Forest?

Many gorgeous names are inspired by forest goddesses from mythology, such as Abnoba, Artemis, Diana, Aranyani, Devana, Fauna, Tuulikki, Mielikki, and Medeina. For boys, we love the forest-inspired godly names like Faunus, Berstuk, Selvans, Tāne, Sylvanus, Tapio, and Porvata.

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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.