Names That Mean Forest
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- Silas
Origin:
Aramaic, Latin, GreekMeaning:
"of the forest; or prayed for"Description:
Sleek and smart, with a hint of mystique about it, Silas is a recent addition to the US Top 100. Both mythological and Biblical in origin, Silas joins the ranks of Isaiah, Atlas, Elias, and Sebastian: polished and contemporary feeling names with plenty of history.
- Sylvie
Origin:
French variation of Latin SylviaMeaning:
"from the forest"Description:
Although Sylvia seems to be having somewhat of a revival among trendsetting baby namers, we'd still opt for the even gentler and more unusual Sylvie. Despite being dated in its native France (where it was popular during the 1950s and 60s), in English-speaking regions it still feels fresh and international without being unfamiliar and has a cosmopolitan, international air. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016.
- Roscoe
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"deer forest"Description:
Fairly popular a hundred years ago but out of sight now, the quirky Roscoe deserves a place on every adventurous baby-namer's long list. It joins Rufus, Roman, Remy, Romulus, and Ray as one of the R names that sound fresh again after too many years of Robert, Richard, and Ronald.
- Sylvia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"from the forest"Description:
The musical, sylvan Sylvia seems poised to join former friends Frances and Beatrice and Dorothy back in the nursery.
- Sylvan
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"wood, forest"Description:
One of the many variations of Silvanus, the name of the Roman forest god, and a little-used member of the freshly stylish Sylv- family of names. Silvan is the sleek German and Dutch form. Given to less than 100 boys each year in the US, it's nevertheless in the Nameberry Top 500.
- Elwood
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"elder tree forest"Description:
The "el-" sound is red-hot these days, and a myriad of place names and surnames give this name a wealth of possible namesakes. The main drawback is its kinship to the name of the hero of the Legally Blond series, Elle Woods, though that will fade with time.
- Sylvester
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"wood, forest"Description:
This name of three early popes has been associated in recent years with a cocky cartoon cat ("Thufferin' thuccatash!") and the Italian Stallion hero of the Rocky and Rambo movies (who was born Michael) — and yet we think it just might be ready to move further back into the mainstream.
- Silvio
Origin:
Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese form of SilviusMeaning:
"wood, forest"Description:
Shiny and sylvan choice.
- Mori
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"forest"Description:
A fashionable name, thanks to prominent Japanese fashion designer Hanae Mori, but non-Japanese might hear it as MORRIE or MAURY.
- Sylvain
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"wood, forest"Description:
Doesn't everything sound better with a French accent? Sylvain, the French variation of the Roman wood god's name, sounds somehow cooler and more sophisticated than Sylvan.
- Ranger
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"forest guardian"Description:
The list of occupational boys' names continues to expand, and this is one of the latest to ride onto the range. With a hint of cowboy and Western, a sprinkle of preppy surname, an outdoorsy, nature-connected vibe, and a soft-but-strong sound, Ranger has a lot going for it. More than doubling in use over the last decade, it was given to around 120 boys in 2023.
- Silvanus
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"wood; forest"Description:
In Roman mythology, Silvanus was the god of the forests. He protected farmers and fields and was credited with developing a system for marking field boundaries.
- Silvain
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"wood, forest"Description:
Woodsy name referring to the Roman tree god Silvanus.
- Silvius
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"wood, forest"Description:
With the rise of ancient Roman names, the now-obscure Silvius may be rediscovered. Sleek and silvery, Silvius was the name of several legendary kings and an early saint. It survives in the contemporary world in its Spanish and Italian form Silvio, used for the character played by Steven Van Zandt on The Sopranos.
- Delano
Origin:
French surnameMeaning:
"from the forest of nut trees"Description:
Popular President Franklin Delano Roosevelt inspired a brief fashion for this as a first name in the 1940s; almost never heard today.
- Roscoe
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"deer forest"Description:
Though Roscoe is an edgy hipster name for boys, it's an even edgier, more hipsterish name for girls.
- Calhoun
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"from the narrow forest"Description:
A beaming, friendly Irish last-name-first-name waiting to be discovered.
- Tauriel
Origin:
Fictional nameMeaning:
"daughter of the forest"Description:
Tauriel is the name of an elf in the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, played by Evangeline Lilly. She is the head of the Mirkwood Elven guard, and a companion of Legolas. Her name was created from the Sindarin elements taur "forest" and riel "maiden’.
- Dresden
Origin:
German place nameMeaning:
"people of the forest"Description:
Sad tinge to the name of the beautiful German city firebombed during World War II. Its name derives from Sorbian drezga, meaning "forest".
- Silvana
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"of the forest"Description:
Variant of Sylvana