Meaning and history
Ernest is derived from Old High German ernust, meaning “serious” or “earnest.” It was introduced to England by the German House of Hanover after they inherited the British throne in the 18th century, but it did not become common until the following century. Notable bearers include the American author and adventurer Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961), and Oscar Wilde used the name for a character in his comedy The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).
20062006: 298 births, rank #724
2007: 289 births, rank #759
2008: 277 births, rank #791
2009: 251 births, rank #850
2010: 218 births, rank #925
20112011: 253 births, rank #846
2012: 223 births, rank #922
2013: 217 births, rank #934
2014: 247 births, rank #877
2015: 216 births, rank #955
20162016: 210 births, rank #977
2017: 219 births, rank #951
2018: 215 births, rank #964
2019: 193 births, rank #1,057
2020: 208 births, rank #1,009
20212021: 187 births, rank #1,108
2022: 186 births, rank #1,131
2023: 213 births, rank #1,024
2024: 202 births, rank #1,076
20252025: 213 births, rank #1,038
Ernest moved from #951 to #965 for boys between 2017 and 2018. Its highest annual birth count came in 1921, with 5,697 births.