Ernest is a moderately popular boys' name in England & Wales, ranking #305 in 2021 with 153 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2025 with 185 births ranking #252. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 1,600.0%. In 2021, approximately 1 in every 1,928 boys born was named Ernest. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Ernest is a traditional name meaning "serious" or "determined". It has a thoughtful, weighty feel that now reads as quietly vintage.
The name spread across Europe and became well established in English, especially in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It later gained extra literary visibility through Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.