Ernest

Meaning of Ernest

Ernest means serious or sincere. It suggests someone who is resolute and determined.

Ernest has Germanic roots — browse every Germanic baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Ernest

After ranking as high as #514 in 2000, Ernest has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Ernest

• Ernest Hemingway
  Nobel Prize-winning American author
• Ernest Borgnine
  Academy Award-winning American actor
• Ernest "Ernie" Banks
  Legendary Hall of Fame baseball player
• Ernest Shackleton
  Famous Antarctic explorer
• Ernest Rutherford
  Nobel Prize-winning physicist, father of nuclear physics

More Germanic names

Questions about the name Ernest

What does the name Ernest mean?

Ernest means ernest means serious or sincere. it suggests someone who is resolute and determined, and it comes from Germanic origins.

Is Ernest a boy's or a girl's name?

Ernest is most commonly used as a boy's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Ernest?

Ernest did not appear in the top 1,000 baby names in 2025, which makes it a genuinely uncommon pick.

When was Ernest most popular?

Ernest peaked at #514 in 2000.