Meaning: Serious; resolute; from Germanic Ernst (earnest, serious, vigorous battle), from Old High German ernest (seriousness, zeal)High
In 30 seconds: A Germanic name meaning 'serious' or 'earnest,' popularized in English through Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) β where the name's meaning becomes the entire joke of the plot.
Ernest is an English form of Germanic Ernst, from Old High German ernest (seriousness, battle to the death, zeal). It entered English through medieval Germanic contacts and became fashionable in the Victorian era, aided by Oscar Wilde's famous comedy.
Ernest peaked in the U.S. in the early 20th century and has declined. It ranked #1083 for boys in 2024.
Did you know? Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) is entirely constructed around a pun on the name Ernest/earnest β characters believe that being named Ernest is synonymous with being earnest (sincere), making the name both the plot MacGuffin and the entire comedic premise.
Overall data confidence 92%
Behind the Name β Ernest β Germanic etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration β popularity data
Variations
ErnstErnesto
Nicknames
ErnieErn
Famous Bearers
β Ernest Hemingway(1899β1961)
American novelist and journalist, Nobel Prize in Literature (1954). Author of The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, and For Whom the Bell Tolls.
If you like Ernestβ¦
Everettβ two-syllable -ett Germanic name with the same serious, steady character
Eliotβ two-syllable surname name with the same literary, understated quality
Elliotβ two-syllable literary surname in the same quiet vintage register
Ethanβ two-syllable Hebrew name with the same solid, earnest quality
