Forney
A masculine name of French origin signifying someone from near a furnace.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Forney. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Forney today is around 90 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Forney births was 1913 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Forney. 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
- • The typical person named Forney is about 90 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Forneys were born before 1946.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Forney. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1913
10 babies that year
Average age
90
years old
1942 SSA rank
#3,338
Tracked since 1909
Popularity
Forney: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Forney from the 1900s through to the 1940s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 47 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Forney 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 Forney during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Forneys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Forney
The given name Forney has its origins in the Old French language, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the word "forneau," which translates to "furnace" or "oven." This connection suggests that the name may have been associated with occupations or individuals involved in metalworking, baking, or other trades that required the use of furnaces or ovens.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Forney can be found in historical records from the 14th century in France. During this time, surnames were often derived from occupations or personal characteristics, and it is possible that the name Forney was initially adopted as a surname for individuals employed in furnace-related professions.
As the name spread and evolved over the centuries, it gained popularity in various regions of Europe, particularly in France, Germany, and Switzerland. In some instances, the spelling may have been altered to accommodate local linguistic variations, resulting in variations such as Forné, Fornay, or Fornée.
One notable historical figure bearing the name Forney was John Wien Forney, an American journalist and political leader born in 1817 in Pennsylvania. He served as the Secretary of the United States Senate and was a prominent figure in the Democratic Party during the mid-19th century.
Another individual of significance was John Forney, a Scottish-born American engraver and publisher who lived from 1761 to 1828. He is credited with introducing the first steam-powered printing press in the United States, revolutionizing the printing industry at the time.
In the realm of literature, John Forney, an American author and educator born in 1828, gained recognition for his works on grammar and composition, including his influential book "The Cult of Incompetence," published in 1909.
The name Forney also found its way into the field of science and technology. Carl Rudolph Forney, a German-American electrical engineer born in 1847, made significant contributions to the development of electrical insulation and is renowned for his work on the Forney Compound.
Lastly, Peter Victor Forney, born in 1937, was an American architect and urban planner known for his innovative designs and contributions to sustainable urban development.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals who carried the name Forney throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence across various cultures and disciplines.
People
Forney + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Forney 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
Forney: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Forney?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Forney 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Forney a common name?
We classify Forney as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 127 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Forney most popular?
The single biggest year for Forney was 1913, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Forney is about 90 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 Forney in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Forney a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Forney 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 Forney still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Forney 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 Forney 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 common is the name Forney?
See how many people have the name Forney on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.