Holding steady.
Popularity of Deforest since 1881
Babies named Deforest per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1920, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Deforest's real moment was 1881.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 9 |
| 1890s | 17 |
| 1900s | 12 |
| 1910s | 127 |
| 1920s | 174 |
| 1930s | 94 |
| 1940s | 79 |
| 1950s | 48 |
| 1960s | 31 |
| 1970s | 37 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 34 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Deforest is an English surname name meaning 'from the forest'. Its first recorded year in U.S. data is 1881, which also marks its peak year, though overall usage has remained extremely low. The name has not ranked in the top 1000 names for any recent year, and its trajectory has been stable, indicating it has never experienced a significant surge in popularity. Deforest is most associated with the 1880s decade. Top states for the name have not been recorded, likely due to the name's rarity. Deforest carries a straightforward etymology and a nature-related meaning that may appeal to parents looking for a distinctive surname-inspired first name.
Deforest is an English surname-turned-first-name meaning 'from the forest', derived from the Old French 'de la forest'. It emerged as a given name in the United States in the 19th century, likely influenced by the popularity of similar surname names and perhaps by figures like American inventor John DeForest. The name saw modest use in the 1880s but has remained very rare since.
Sibling names for Deforest
Names that share Deforest's style, for a brother or sister.
