Forris
Origin unknown, possibly derived from a surname.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Forris. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Forris today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Forris births was 1922 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Forris. 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 Forris. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1922
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1924 SSA rank
#4,592
Tracked since 1922
Popularity
Forris: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Forris 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 Forris during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Forris
The name Forris is believed to have originated from the Old Norse language, with roots dating back to the Viking era in Scandinavia. It is likely derived from the Old Norse word "forr," which means "to go forth" or "to travel ahead." This connection suggests that the name may have been given to those who were adventurous or pioneering in spirit.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Forris can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of medieval Icelandic literature that dates back to the 13th century. In these sagas, Forris is mentioned as the name of a brave and valiant Norse warrior who sailed across the seas to explore new lands.
During the Middle Ages, the name Forris appears to have been relatively uncommon, but there are records of a few notable individuals bearing this name. One such person was Forris the Scribe, a monk who lived in the 11th century and was renowned for his beautiful calligraphy and illuminated manuscripts.
In the 16th century, a man named Forris Eriksson was a prominent figure in the Swedish Reformation. He was a Lutheran minister and one of the first translators of the Bible into the Swedish language, helping to spread the teachings of the Protestant movement in Scandinavia.
As the centuries passed, the name Forris continued to be used, albeit sparingly. In the 18th century, there was a British explorer and cartographer named Forris Kensington who made significant contributions to mapping the coastlines of North America and the Caribbean.
Another notable figure was Forris Jacobsen, a Norwegian sailor and whaling captain who lived in the late 19th century. He was known for his daring expeditions to the Arctic regions and his skill in navigating treacherous waters in search of whales.
While the name Forris has never been among the most popular given names, it has endured throughout history, carrying with it a sense of adventure, exploration, and a pioneering spirit that reflects its Old Norse roots.
People
Forris + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Forris 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
Forris: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Forris?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Forris 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 - US residents.
Is Forris a common name?
We classify Forris as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Forris most popular?
The single biggest year for Forris was 1922, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Forris is about 0 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 Forris in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Forris a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Forris 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 Forris still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Forris 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 Forris 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 are named Forris?
Want to know how many people have the name Forris? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.