Ernesto

Did you know?

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

⭐ Famous Ernesto

Ernesto Sabato

Argentine writer, painter and physicist (1911-2011)

Choose Ernesto and your child shares a first name with Ernesto Sabato, an Argentine writer, painter and physicist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Ernesto, like who?” Ernesto Sabato's Wikipedia article is available in 72 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Ernesto Sabato on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 6,281 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Ernesto, 272 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ernesto would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryErnesto first shows up in US birth records in 1889, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 136 years since.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1981, when it ranked #291. Today it's #878, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📉Then vs nowErnesto was 2.5× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 2,480 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 6,281.
• 🍂TrendErnesto has slipped 86 places over the last five years and now sits at #878. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
• 📍Where it's lovedErnesto is most popular in New Mexico, where it ranks #360, followed by Arizona (#376) and California (#383). It's in the top 1,000 in 8 states.
• 💬MeaningErnesto is a Spanish form of Ernest, which means “serious, resolute”. Our records link it to English, German and Italian roots.

About the name Ernesto

Ernesto is a boy name of English, German and Italian origin meaning “serious, resolute”. It has 7 letters and 3 syllables, starting with E and ending in “-sto”. US birth records list Ernesto for boys from 1889 to 2025, in 125 of those 137 years. Its best year was 1981, when it ranked #291 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #878, with 272 babies.

Origin:English namesGerman namesItalian namesSpanish names