Is Ernst a boy's or girl's name?

Ernst is primarily a boy's name.

When was Ernst most popular?

Ernst reached its peak popularity in 1917 with 59 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Ernst?

Ernst is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 2,383 babies in the U.S. since 1880. Its peak was in 1917.

Ernst

An uncommon German pick — distinctive and rare.

Boy's nameGermanNot ranked recently

Rare name

Meaning & Origin

A surname.

Ernst is a boy's baby name of German origin, the German form of Ernest, derived from the Old High German ernust meaning 'serious' or 'earnest.' Carried to America by German immigrants, it was the name of the painter Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and physicist Ernst Mach.

Compare Ernst with another name

Popularity Over Time

Ernst has 132+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1880.

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Ernst
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	5	#12707	▼
2010s	30	#11242	▼
2000s	59	#9351	▼
1990s	98	#5829	▼
1980s	162	#3072	▲
1970s	149	#2867	▼
1960s	182	#1980	▼
1950s	208	#1727	▲
1940s	202	#1614	▼
1930s	281	#1293	▼
1920s	350	#1259	—
1910s	371	#973	▲
1900s	72	#916	▼
1890s	97	#752	▼
1880s	117	#587	—

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(132 years, 1880–2021)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Ernst
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2021	5	#12707	0
2018	5	#12731	-1 (-16.7%)
2016	6	#11142	0
2015	6	#11096	-1 (-14.3%)
2013	7	#9978	+1 (16.7%)
2011	6	#11261	+1 (20.0%)
2009	5	#13053	-3 (-37.5%)
2008	8	#9248	+1 (14.3%)
2006	7	#9886	+2 (40.0%)
2005	5	#11982	-5 (-50.0%)
2004	10	#7138	+3 (42.9%)
2002	7	#8733	-1 (-12.5%)
2001	8	#7765	-1 (-11.1%)
2000	9	#7006	-1 (-10.0%)
1999	10	#6181	+2 (25.0%)
1998	8	#7052	-3 (-27.3%)
1997	11	#5388	+1 (10.0%)
1996	10	#5664	+4 (66.7%)
1995	6	#8119	-4 (-40.0%)
1994	10	#5583	0

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1880–2021) · Methodology