Forge
A workplace where metal is heated and shaped by hammering.
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Forge. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Forge today is around 3 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Forge births was 2023 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Forge. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Forge. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
2023
8 babies that year
Average age
3
years old
2023 SSA rank
#9,178
Tracked since 2023
Popularity
Forge: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Forge by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Forge during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 8 | 0 | 8 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Forge
The name Forge has its origins rooted in the French language, specifically derived from the occupational surname "Le Forge" or "Laforgue." The term "forge" itself dates back to the 13th century in Old French and ultimately stems from the Latin word "fabrica," meaning workshop or manufactory.
During the Middle Ages, the name was commonly associated with blacksmiths and metalworkers who operated forges, which were workshops where metal was heated and shaped. As such, it was likely adopted as a surname by those engaged in this trade, and later transitioned into use as a given name.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Forge was William le Forge, a blacksmith who lived in England during the late 13th century. Records from this time period indicate his presence in the county of Norfolk.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Forge Marchand emerged as a French Protestant reformer and theologian. Born in 1498 in Normandy, France, Marchand played a significant role in the early stages of the Reformation movement.
The 18th century saw the birth of Forge Rousseau, a French painter and engraver who was active in the late 1700s. Rousseau's works, primarily etchings and engravings, depicted scenes from daily life and helped establish him as a respected artist of his time.
Fast-forwarding to the 20th century, Forge Muller was a prominent German architect who left his mark on the architectural landscape of Berlin. Born in 1911, Muller was known for his innovative designs and contribution to the rebuilding efforts following World War II.
Another individual of note was Forge Dieterle, a German-American film director and screenwriter who worked in Hollywood during the early 20th century. Dieterle, born in 1892, directed several notable films, including The Life of Emile Zola (1937), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director.
While the name Forge may not be as common today as it once was, its historical significance lies in its connection to the skilled trades of metalworking and forging, as well as its presence among notable figures from various fields throughout the centuries.
People
Forge + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Forge as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Forge: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Forge?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Forge going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Forge a common name?
We classify Forge as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Forge most popular?
The single biggest year for Forge was 2023, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Forge is about 3 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Forge in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Forge a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Forge in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Forge still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Forge in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Forge can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Forge?
Want to know how many people share the name Forge? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.