120+ Names That Mean Forest
GR
Editor-in-ChiefUpdated Oct 29, 2025120 Names
Searching for baby names that mean forest? This page curates 120+ options under "Names That Mean Forest for Boys and Girls" to help you explore meaningful choices faster. If you already know the vibe you want, this list helps you match that feeling to names you can actually use.
From familiar choices to unexpected standouts, the range here helps you explore meaning without losing style.
Take your time with the list and shortlist the options that feel strong both on paper and in everyday conversation.
Popular Names
The chart below showcases the standout names that mean forest ranked by popularity, giving you a fast overview of the best options.
Names That Mean Forest for Girls
- Origin:French, Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:French form of Sylvia from Latin silva meaning forest, associated with woodland imagery and long-standing Romance-language usage.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:From Latin silva meaning forest, it became established through Roman legend and later European literary usage.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Wood Forest"
- Description:Xyla is modeled on Greek xylon meaning wood, and is used as a rare modern name with nature associations.
- Origin:English, Latin
- Meaning:"Great Forest"
- Description:Arden is tied to English place-names and literary usage, with associations to wooded landscapes and enduring geographic imagery.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A Latin name associated with woods or forests, also linked to Roman legendary figures such as Rhea Silvia.
- Origin:Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning:"Forest; One who Follows"
- Description:Anvi is used in Indian naming and is often connected to Sanskrit-derived interpretations, though glosses vary by source.
- Origin:Greek, Modern
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A modern stylized form inspired by Greek xylon meaning wood, with contemporary spelling and variable intended pronunciation.
- Origin:Latin, Italian
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Silvana derives from Latin silva meaning forest, used widely in Italian and other Romance languages as a nature-associated name.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Of the Woods"
- Description:Xylia is a rare name built from Greek xyl- elements meaning wood, often interpreted with forest-related imagery.
- Origin:Tamil, Hindi
- Meaning:"Grove or Forest"
- Description:Used in South Asian contexts, it may relate to words for grove or forest, though exact meaning varies by language and spelling.
- Origin:Latin, Scandinavian
- Meaning:"Forest Woman"
- Description:Sylvi is a Nordic and modern variant of Sylvia derived from Latin meaning forest or woodland.
- Origin:Slavic, Greek
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Syla is often linked to Slavic and Greek-influenced variants near Silva, associated with forest-related semantic interpretations.
- Origin:Sanskrit
- Meaning:"Gracious; Forest"
- Description:Vaanya is used in Indian contexts and is often associated with Sanskrit-derived ideas of forest and gracious character.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Forester"
- Description:Occupational surname associated with forest management, transferred to given-name use, especially in English-speaking countries.
- Origin:English, French
- Meaning:"Woods"
- Description:Forest is derived from a word for woodland, entering English via French, and functions as both surname and given name.
- Origin:Latin, French
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:French-influenced form of Sylvia from Latin silva, conveying associations with forested landscapes.
- Origin:Latin, Greek
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A New Testament name, it has gained contemporary popularity while retaining strong historical and religious associations.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Sylvan comes from Latin woodland vocabulary, used as a given name to evoke forested landscapes and pastoral imagery.
- Origin:Latin, Hebrew
- Meaning:"Forest; Pause"
- Description:Sylah is a modern spelling that may echo Sylvia or Selah, yielding ambiguous etymology and variable interpretive meanings.
- Origin:English, French
- Meaning:"Dweller Near Woods"
- Description:From a surname associated with forested landscapes, it functions as a nature-linked given name in English, especially in North America.
- Origin:Greek, Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Name linked to Greek hyle meaning forest or wood, appearing in scientific and literary contexts and used as a nature-associated given name.
- Origin:Finnish, Hebrew
- Meaning:"Forest Warrior"
- Description:Jari is common in Finnish as a form of Jalmari, and also appears as a variant related to Jared traditions.
- Origin:Latin, Greek
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A modern spelling variant associated with Silas, it is frequently interpreted through classical forms suggesting woodland or forest affiliation.
- Origin:Modern Fiction
- Meaning:"Daughter of the Forest"
- Description:A constructed name popularized in modern fantasy media, analyzed as evoking woodland lineage within an invented linguistic framework.
- Origin:Sanskrit
- Meaning:"Forest or Earth"
- Description:Associated with Sanskrit-based vocabulary in modern Indian usage, it is often glossed with nature-related senses such as forest or earth.
- Origin:Sanskrit
- Meaning:"Forest; Wilderness"
- Description:From Sanskrit aranya, meaning forest or wilderness, employed in South Asian naming with natural and ascetic associations.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:From Latin silva for forest, it conveys woodland association and appears across Romance-language naming traditions.
- Origin:Modern English
- Meaning:"Forest Lake"
- Description:Timberlyn is a modern compound name blending timber and -lyn elements, producing nature-oriented imagery without a traditional etymology.
- Origin:Latin, Italian
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Feminine form related to Silvan and Silvia names, from Latin silva forest, with an expanded -anna ending common in Romance naming.
- Origin:Latin, Modern Fantasy
- Meaning:"Of the Woods"
- Description:Name modeled on Latin silva themes meaning of the woods, widely recognized through modern fantasy usage.
- Origin:Sanskrit
- Meaning:"Forest"
- Description:Vaniya is used in South Asian naming and is sometimes linked to Sanskrit-derived nature terminology, especially associations with forests.
- Origin:Korean
- Meaning:"Beautiful Forest"
- Description:Ayerim is a Korean name typically analyzed via hanja readings conveying beauty and forest imagery.
- Origin:German
- Meaning:"People of the Forest"
- Description:Dresden is a place-based name from the German city, with older Slavic-associated interpretations sometimes rendered as people of the forest.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Elder Tree Forest"
- Description:An English surname-based given name, typically interpreted as referring to a wood or forest with elder trees.
- Origin:French, Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A feminine elaboration of Forest derived from Latin roots referencing wooded landscapes.
- Origin:English, Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Forrestine is an elaborated form related to Forrest, ultimately tied to Latin forest terminology and associated with woodland references.
- Origin:Scottish
- Meaning:"Wood, Forest"
- Description:From a Scottish place-name and surname, sometimes linked to Celtic elements for wood or forest, with uncertain precise etymology.
- Origin:Scottish, English
- Meaning:"Wood; Forest"
- Description:A feminine form related to Keith, a Scottish place name often associated with woodland or forest meanings.
- Origin:Chinese, Vietnamese
- Meaning:"Forest; Blue Green"
- Description:Lam is a common surname in several East Asian contexts, including Cantonese and Vietnamese romanizations.
- Origin:Japanese, Latin
- Meaning:"Forest"
- Description:In Japanese it can relate to forest, while elsewhere it may function as a short form with distinct origins.
- Origin:Latin, Portuguese
- Meaning:"Forest; Woodland"
- Description:Silva comes from Latin for forest, widely used as a surname in Portuguese contexts and increasingly adopted as a given name.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:From Latin for woodland, used in several European languages and often associated with natural landscape imagery.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:From Latin silvestris meaning woodland, the name is supported by early Christian saint usage and long European continuity.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Sylvania derives from Latin silva meaning forest, used in English as a poetic or place associated feminine name.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Syliva is a spelling variant of Silvia, derived from Latin roots referring to woods and forested landscapes.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A variant of Sylvia, from Latin silva meaning forest, shaped by modern spelling preferences.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Slyvia is a spelling variant of Sylvia, from Latin silva, conventionally interpreted as of the forest.
- Origin:Latin, Modern English
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Sylena is a modern elaboration of Sylvia-type names from Latin silva, maintaining forest-related interpretation.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Sylvanna extends the Latin root silva meaning forest and evokes woodland imagery.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Feminine form associated with Latin silva meaning forest, used to evoke woodland imagery within European-derived naming patterns.
- Origin:Latin, Spanish
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Silvina derives from Latin silva, used in Romance languages as a feminine name referencing woodland or forested places.
- Origin:Polish, Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Sylwia is the Polish form of Silvia, derived from Latin vocabulary associated with woods and forested landscapes.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Syleena is a modern spelling influenced by Selena and Selene families, sometimes reinterpreted with forest-related Latin associations.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Forest Woman"
- Description:Syvilla is a variant of Sibyl or Sylvia-type forms, generally linked to Latin silva meaning forest.
- Origin:Latin, Spanish
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Silveria is derived from Latin silva forest, appearing in Romance-language contexts and sometimes connected with saintly name traditions.
- Origin:Modern English, Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Variant influenced by Latin sylvan roots, blending contemporary spelling with an older woodland-associated semantic field.
- Origin:Chinese
- Meaning:"Young Forest"
- Description:Shaolin derives from Chinese place and temple associations, literally linked to a young forest and widely recognized through Buddhist history.
- Origin:Latin, Spanish
- Meaning:"Forest; Jungle"
- Description:From Latin silva forest, used in Spanish and related languages as both a lexical word and a given-name form.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:From Latin silva forest, it is a feminine form associated with woodland imagery and classical naming patterns in Europe and the Americas.
- Origin:Germanic, English
- Meaning:"Ruler of the Forest"
- Description:A rare feminine form related to Wald- names, drawing on Germanic elements for forest and governance imagery.
- Origin:Greek, Modern American
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Modern formation from Greek xylon meaning wood, typically interpreted as relating to forest or wooden qualities.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Woodland"
- Description:A modern elaboration built on xyl elements meaning wood, producing a woodland association in a contemporary feminine form.
- Origin:Hebrew
- Meaning:"Forest or Honeycomb"
- Description:Yaara is a Hebrew feminine name associated with nature imagery, commonly interpreted as forest and occasionally as honeycomb.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Forest Nymph"
- Description:A rare classical styled name likely influenced by Greek sylph imagery and English nineteenth century naming creativity.
Names That Mean Forest for Boys
- Origin:Latin, Greek
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A New Testament name, it has gained contemporary popularity while retaining strong historical and religious associations.
- Origin:English, French
- Meaning:"Dweller Near Woods"
- Description:From a surname associated with forested landscapes, it functions as a nature-linked given name in English, especially in North America.
- Origin:Latin, Greek
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A modern spelling variant associated with Silas, it is frequently interpreted through classical forms suggesting woodland or forest affiliation.
- Origin:English, French
- Meaning:"Woods"
- Description:Forest is derived from a word for woodland, entering English via French, and functions as both surname and given name.
- Origin:Scottish
- Meaning:"Wood, Forest"
- Description:From a Scottish place-name and surname, sometimes linked to Celtic elements for wood or forest, with uncertain precise etymology.
- Origin:English, Latin
- Meaning:"Great Forest"
- Description:Arden is tied to English place-names and literary usage, with associations to wooded landscapes and enduring geographic imagery.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Forester"
- Description:Occupational surname associated with forest management, transferred to given-name use, especially in English-speaking countries.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Forest Guardian"
- Description:Occupational word-name adopted as a given name, reflecting English vocabulary for wardens or patrol roles.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Sylvan comes from Latin woodland vocabulary, used as a given name to evoke forested landscapes and pastoral imagery.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Wood Grove"
- Description:Holt originates as an English toponymic surname meaning a wooded place, later adopted as a concise given name.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:From Latin silvestris meaning woodland, the name is supported by early Christian saint usage and long European continuity.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Elder Tree Forest"
- Description:An English surname-based given name, typically interpreted as referring to a wood or forest with elder trees.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Sylus is related to Latin silva forest, appearing as a rare variant alongside Silas and Sylvan forms.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Cylas is generally treated as a variant of Silas, a name associated with Latin forms linked to forest imagery and early Christian history.
- Origin:Latin, Italian
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:An Italian name from Latin roots, historically connected with woodland imagery and Roman-era naming conventions.
- Origin:German
- Meaning:"People of the Forest"
- Description:Dresden is a place-based name from the German city, with older Slavic-associated interpretations sometimes rendered as people of the forest.
- Origin:Latin, Spanish
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Silvestre derives from Latin silvestris meaning of the woods, used historically in Romance-language naming traditions.
- Origin:Latin, Italian
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Silvano is an Italian name from Latin Silvanus, meaning of the forest, associated with woodland imagery.
- Origin:English, Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A modern variant related to Siler or Tyler-like forms, sometimes linked to Latin silva and forest-associated interpretations.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Lime Tree Wood"
- Description:English place-name compound meaning lime tree wood, used as a given name particularly in older twentieth-century records.
- Origin:Modern Invented, Greek
- Meaning:"Forest Wood"
- Description:Contemporary stylized form resembling Silas or Greek-rooted names, sometimes associated by users with woodland or forest imagery.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Woods"
- Description:Silvan derives from Latin silvanus meaning of the woods, associated with woodland imagery and classical naming heritage.
- Origin:Russian, Japanese
- Meaning:"Great River"
- Description:Taiga is used as a given name across cultures, associated with vast northern forests and, in Japanese, great river readings.
- Origin:Finnish, Hebrew
- Meaning:"Forest Warrior"
- Description:Jari is common in Finnish as a form of Jalmari, and also appears as a variant related to Jared traditions.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Forest Name Variant"
- Description:Variant of Silas associated with Latin silva forest imagery in folk interpretation, though historically linked to early Christian usage.
- Origin:Chinese, Vietnamese
- Meaning:"Forest; Blue Green"
- Description:Lam is a common surname in several East Asian contexts, including Cantonese and Vietnamese romanizations.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Bright Forest"
- Description:From an English place-name meaning bright forest, known historically and culturally through associations with Nottinghamshire woodland traditions.
- Origin:Latin, Spanish
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Silverio is the Spanish form of Silvester, derived from Latin for forested or woodland, and appears in saintly onomastic traditions.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Latin name meaning of the forest, associated with Roman religious vocabulary and later Christian usage as a learned masculine form.
- Origin:French, English
- Meaning:"From the Forest"
- Description:Adopted from a surname of French origin, historically connected to woodland or wild country descriptors.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Forest Keeper"
- Description:An English occupational surname used as a given name, historically referring to a person responsible for forest management.
- Origin:Latin, Modern English
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A variant related to Sylvester, ultimately from Latin indicating woodland or forest, adapted into contemporary English naming.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"At the Wood"
- Description:An English topographic surname used as a given name, originally indicating residence near a woodland or forested area.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A variant of Silas, historically linked to Latinized forms and Christian tradition, sometimes interpreted with forest-related associations.
- Origin:French, English
- Meaning:"From the Forest"
- Description:From a French locational surname meaning of the forest, later used in English as a distinctive given name.
- Origin:French, English
- Meaning:"From the Forest"
- Description:A surname-derived given name from Norman French patterns, interpreted as from the forest and associated with locational identity.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Hedged Woodland"
- Description:Heywood originates from an English place name referring to a woodland enclosed by hedges or boundaries.
- Origin:Scottish
- Meaning:"Wood, Forest"
- Description:An orthographic variant of Keith, generally associated with Scottish usage and interpreted through a wood or forest gloss.
- Origin:English, Scottish
- Meaning:"Woodland; Forest"
- Description:A modern spelling variant of Keith, used as a given name in English speaking contexts.
- Origin:English, Scottish
- Meaning:"Wood; Forest Town"
- Description:Modern elaboration of Keith, adding a suffix that gives a surname-like cadence while retaining Scottish associations.
- Origin:Scottish, English
- Meaning:"Wood; Forest"
- Description:A spelling variant of Keith, linked to a Scottish place name traditionally interpreted as wood or forest in older etymological accounts.
- Origin:Latin, English
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Levester appears related to Sylvester, from Latin elements meaning of the woods or forest.
- Origin:Turkish, English
- Meaning:"Forest"
- Description:Turkish word meaning forest used as a name, also encountered as an English surname with distinct origins.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Woods"
- Description:From Latin silvestris meaning of the woods, known through saints and long-standing European naming traditions with woodland imagery.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:From Latin silva meaning forest, it became established through Roman legend and later European literary usage.
- Origin:Latin, Italian
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Italian and Romance form of Silvius, deriving from Latin silva and evoking woodland or forest associations.
- Origin:Latin, Italian
- Meaning:"Woodland; Forest"
- Description:Silvino derives from Latin silva traditions, used in Romance languages to evoke woodland and forest associations.
- Origin:Latin, Italian
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:From Latin silva forest, this Italianate form denotes woodland association and aligns with Roman-derived nature naming traditions.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A variant spelling of Sylvester, from Latin silvestris, historically meaning woodland or of the forest.
- Origin:French, Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:French form from Latin Silvester, used historically with Christian associations and a literal sense related to woodland.
- Origin:French, Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:French name from Latin silvanus meaning of the forest, historically associated with woodland imagery and classical tradition.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Stone Forest"
- Description:English toponymic surname meaning stone and wood, sometimes used as a given name in modern surname revival practices.
- Origin:Latin, French
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:Name from Latin silva, forest, appearing in French and English variants, conveying a wooded or sylvan association.
- Origin:Latin
- Meaning:"Of the Forest"
- Description:A Latin name associated with woods or forests, also linked to Roman legendary figures such as Rhea Silvia.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Guardian of the Forest"
- Description:Woodard originated as an English surname referring to a woodland guardian or steward of forested land.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Guardian of the Wood"
- Description:An English occupational surname used as a given name, it historically denotes a warden responsible for woodland management.
Why Choose Names That Mean Forest?
Choosing from names that mean forest gives your child a story-rich start. These names often carry a clear emotional meaning, making your final choice feel both personal and intentional.
Written by
Grace RoyalBaby Name Expert & Lead Editor
Editor-in-Chief with 15+ years in baby naming and linguistics. Columbia University M.A. in Linguistics.
Classic NamesName EtymologyCultural Naming Traditions