Ernst
Ernst is both a surname and a given name, the German, Dutch, and Scandinavian form of Ernest. Notable people with the name include:
- German
- Dutch
- Danish
- Norwegian
Meaning & Origin of Ernst
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ernst is both a surname and a given name, the German, Dutch, and Scandinavian form of Ernest. Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
- Dutch
- Danish
- Norwegian
- Swedish
The Story of Ernst
Ernst first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1917, when 59 Ernsts were born — ranking #833 that year. As of 2026, Ernst ranks #12,141 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 2K Ernsts have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Ernst
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Ernst. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Erni
Names that sound like Ernst
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ernst is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ernst
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About the name Ernst
Ernst is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Ernst's peak popularity came in 1917 when it ranked #833. Use the chart and map above to compare Ernst's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1917 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "E" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.