BoyOld High German origin2 syllables
Ernest
Meaning: “vigor, strife”
About the name Ernest
Ernest is a boy name with Old High German roots, meaning “vigor, strife”.
It has a vintage feel. In 2025, Ernest ranked #1040 for boys in the US, with 213 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 1947. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Ernest were boys.
Etymology
From Old High German, meaning “vigor, strife”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Ernest”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- #1040
- In 2015
- #956
- Babies in 2025
- 213
Popularity of Ernest, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Ernest
Names similar to Ernest
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.