Serious; resolute; sincere
Derived from the Germanic word 'eornost', meaning serious or earnest. It was introduced to England by the Hanoverian kings in the 18th century and became a quintessential Victorian name, symbolizing moral integrity and purpose.
Less common today
Ernest isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #283 in 1990.
Nobel Prize-winning American novelist
Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer
Physicist known as the father of nuclear physics
Oscar-winning American actor
The protagonist of Oscar Wilde's famous play · The Importance of Being Earnest
Comedic character portrayed by Jim Varney · Ernest Goes to Camp
Nobel Prize-winning physicist and inventor of the cyclotron
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
