The nameErnest
Ernest is a solid vintage name meaning "serious". It was a top 25 American name in the 1880s.
- Boy's name
- Germanic
Meaning
Ernest comes from the Germanic ernust, "seriousness, determination".
Origin
Germanic.
History
In the United States Ernest reached 21st place in 1885. Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest plays on the name. In England and Wales it reached 252nd in 2025, its best since 1996.
Did you know?
- After his ship Endurance was crushed by Antarctic ice, Ernest Shackleton brought his whole crew home alive.
- Ernest Hemingway won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.
Famous people named Ernest
- Ernest Hemingway, novelist
- Ernest Shackleton, explorer
- Ernest Rutherford, physicist
Popularity of the name Ernest
Ernest in the United States
Ernest was most popular in the United States in the 1920s, with 54,033 births over the decade, 18% of all recorded babies named Ernest. Half of all babies named Ernest in the United States were born before 1939, so it is mostly a great-grandparents' generation name. Over the last five years on record, its popularity has held steady at around 199 births a year.
Ernest in the United Kingdom
Ernest was most popular in the United Kingdom in the 2010s, with 1,239 births over the decade, 49% of all recorded babies named Ernest. Its rise began around 2002, and it peaked in 2025. Half of all babies named Ernest in the United Kingdom were born before 2018, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, its popularity has held steady at around 169 births a year.
Ernest in France
Ernest in Belgium
Variants and related names
Sibling names for Ernest
Names from the same generation as Ernest, whose popularity in the United States has followed a similar path.
How many people are named Ernest? See the counter → · What would your name be in 1950? · Name origin quiz
Compare Ernest with another name
Meaning, origin and popularity of Ernest side by side with the name of your choice.
Ernest in our baby name lists
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ernest mean?
Ernest comes from the Germanic ernust, "seriousness, determination".
What is the origin of the name Ernest?
Germanic.
Is Ernest a girl's or a boy's name?
Ernest is a boy's name.
How popular is the name Ernest?
In 2024, Ernest was the 1086th most popular name for baby boys in the United States, with 200 births.
What are the variants of the name Ernest?
Variants and related names of Ernest include Ernestina and Ernestine.
What are good sibling names for Ernest?
Names from the same generation, with a similar popularity in the United States: Linda, Charlene, Carla and Alisha for a sister, Bernard, Gerald, Roger and Gilbert for a brother.
Who are famous people named Ernest?
Ernest Hemingway, novelist; Ernest Shackleton, explorer; Ernest Rutherford, physicist.