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    The first name Forbes

    A boy’s name from Scottish Gaelic.

    Pronounced /fɔɹbz/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Scottish Gaelic origin

    A unisex given name from Scottish Gaelic.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Forbes last appeared in the official list in 2016, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 1997, with 3 births (#2,859).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    15
    babies named Forbes, 1996–2025
    #4,810
    rank in 2016
    1997
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Forbes with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Forbes at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 8 boys born in the United States were named Forbes, the 9,176th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 12 were.

    01020 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    242
    babies named Forbes since 1880
    #9,176
    rank in 2025
    1918
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    • Fawbush
    • Fobbs
    • Forbus
    • Forbush
    • Furbush

    Famous people named Forbes

    6 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • John Forbes Nash
      American mathematician and economist (1928–2015)
    • Forbes March
      Canadian actor, born 1973
    • William Forbes Gatacre
      British Army general (1843–1906)
    • Forbes Kennedy
      Canadian ice hockey player, 1935–2026
    • John Kerry
      American politician and diplomat (born 1943)
    • Jim Chapin
      American musician (1919–2009)

    More Scottish Gaelic boys’ names

    All 54 names of Scottish Gaelic origin

    Questions

    What is the origin of the name Forbes?
    Forbes comes from Scottish Gaelic.
    How popular is the name Forbes?
    In 2016, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Forbes, ranking 4,810th. Its peak was 1997, with 3 births.
    Is Forbes a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 242 US babies named Forbes since 1880 were boys.
    When was Forbes most popular?
    1918 in the United States, when 12 babies were named Forbes, its highest rank at 2,445th.
    How do you pronounce Forbes?
    Forbes is /fɔɹbz/, one syllable.
    What are other spellings of Forbes?
    Fawbush, Fobbs, Forbus, Forbush and Furbush.
    Is Forbes also a surname?
    Yes. Forbes is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.