Total births
302,499
Boys' name · since 1880
Ernest
Ernest has 302,499 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1921 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1076
- among boys today
- 302,499
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Ernest is the #1076 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 302,499 recorded since 1880.
Ernest has 302,499 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1076 as of the latest data, more common than 92% of boys, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1076 among boys today
- 302,499 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ernest is currently the #1076 boys' name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 302,499 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1076
- among boys today
- 302,499
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Ernest vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1076
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Ernest was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
5,697 babies were named Ernest in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Ernest compares
302,499 Top 1% higher than 99% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Ernest's all-time total is 824x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ernest | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 302,499 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 5,697 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ernest's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Ernest's full recorded timeline at 1953, 31% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 69% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 2022, with just 186 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1921 peak of 5,697 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Ernest at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#1,076
Active since
1880
Ernest popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 5,697
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Ernest popularity over time - girls
1,855 total births recorded since 1886 (Ernest as girls' name)
Ernest by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Ernest's strongest decade.
53,653 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Ernest births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 6,700
1880s
6,700 births
- 1890s 7,877
1890s
7,877 births
- 1900s 8,657
1900s
8,657 births
- 1910s
1910s
37,134 births
- 1920s
1920s
53,653 births
- 1930s
1930s
39,346 births
- 1940s
1940s
41,762 births
- 1950s
1950s
39,680 births
- 1960s
1960s
26,892 births
- 1970s 16,756
1970s
16,756 births
- 1980s 11,236
1980s
11,236 births
- 1990s 6,054
1990s
6,054 births
- 2000s 3,332
2000s
3,332 births
- 2010s 2,211
2010s
2,211 births
- 2020s 1,209
2020s
1,209 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 53,653 births (18% of all-time use).
How Ernest compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Ernest's total volume
Ernest vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ernest by state
Where Ernest concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 19,418 | 6.4% |
| #2 | California | | 19,118 | 6.3% |
| #3 | New York | | 18,269 | 6.0% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 14,827 | 4.9% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 11,660 | 3.9% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 10,761 | 3.6% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 10,465 | 3.5% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 9,657 | 3.2% |
Texas share of Ernest's total US births 6.4%
Even split
19,418 of 302,499 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Ernest appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ernest? ▼
Ernest has been given to 302,499 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1076 as of the latest data. 5,697 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Ernest most popular? ▼
Ernest was most popular in the 1920s decade with 53,653 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Ernest most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ernest are Texas (19,418 births), California (19,118 births), New York (18,269 births).
How long has the name Ernest been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Ernest since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Ernest? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ernesto, Ernie, Ernst, Ernan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ernest's data
- Ernest's decade-level peak was the 1920s (53,653 total births); usage has since declined to 1,209 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Ernests (19,418 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ernest
Nearby Names Like Ernest
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ernest
Ernesto Boy
#892 44,695 births
Ernie Boy
#6203 16,520 births
Ernst Boy
2,383 births
Ernan Boy
#10170 329 births
Ernestine Boy
159 births
Compare Ernest side by side: Ernest vs Ernesto Ernest vs Ernie Ernest vs Ernst
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ernest
Kreed #1075
1,469 births · Peak 2025
Foster #1077
13,122 births · Peak 2025
Gadiel #1074
2,568 births · Peak 2024
Rodney #1078
247,150 births · Peak 1965
Ever #1073
4,463 births · Peak 2023
Palmer #1079
9,264 births · Peak 2023
Justice #1072
19,902 births · Peak 2002
Arham #1080
2,181 births · Peak 2024
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ernest: #1076 Boys' Name - 302,499 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ernest. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ernest draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.