Ernest

Did you know?

A few things about Ernest you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Ernest

Ernest Hemingway

American author and journalist (1899–1961)

Choose Ernest and your child shares a first name with Ernest Hemingway, an American author and journalist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Ernest, like who?” Ernest Hemingway's Wikipedia article is available in 208 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Ernest Hemingway on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Lloyd Arnold, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 8,019 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Ernest, 213 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ernest would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryErnest has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Ernests, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1885, when it ranked #21. Today it's #1,038, so it could be due a comeback.
• 🍂TrendErnest has slipped 29 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,038. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
• 📍Where it's lovedErnest is most popular in Nebraska, where it ranks #432, followed by Washington (#604) and Wisconsin (#618). It's in the top 1,000 in 11 states.
• 💬MeaningIn German, Ernest means “serious, resolute”. Our records link it to English and German roots.

About the name Ernest

Ernest is a boy name of English and German origin meaning “serious, resolute”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with E and ending in “-est”. US birth records list Ernest for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1885, when it ranked #21 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,038, with 213 babies.

Origin:English namesGerman names