—2024 rank
1921peak year
294,827babies named Ernest since 1880
▲ +4%5-year trend
Ernest popularity over 145 years
🌱 Below the charts · roughly undefined% girls / NaN% boys in 2024
What does Ernest mean?
From Old High German eornost, 'earnestness, seriousness'. Sturdy in Victorian times and immortalized by Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest and Hemingway.
OriginGermanic
Syllables2
Genderboy
Styleclassic, vintage
Names like Ernest
Same era, same vibe — if you like Ernest, these usually land on the shortlist too.
Famous Ernests
- Ernest Hemingway, writer
Spellings & variants
ErnstErnie
Not sure yet?
Tell the genie what you like — style, letter, vibe — and it will deal you a fresh hand of names.
Open the name generator 🧞