Forest sits next to 5 phonetic neighbors — Forrest, Florence, and Fauna are the closest matches by sound. Most share Forest's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"dweller near the forest, woodland"
"enlightenment, awakening"
"feminine form of Leo"
"ruler of elves (via Avery)"
"one who embodies karma"
"heavenly sea"
"each of the two (variant etymology)"
"radiant, shining light"
"lake, pool"
"azure, referring to the Azores islands"
"swallow (the bird)"
"Baal is the prince (Phoenician interpretation)"
"from Sebaste, revered, venerable"
"epithet of Demeter (goddess of harvest)"
"fortress, fort"
"high settlement, home farm"
"pure"
"occupational surname meaning one who sews"
"stone worker, stonemason"
"chief, prince"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Forest — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Old French/Latin origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Forest.
Rhythm: Forest is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.