Total births
244
Girls' name · since 1915
Ernesta
244 babies named Ernesta in U.S. Social Security records since 1915, with the highest year being 1918. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 244
- total births
- 1915–1981
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
244 girls have been named Ernesta since 1915, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Ernesta has 244 recorded births among girls since 1915, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1970s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 1981.
- 244 total births
- 1915–1981 years on record
- 1970s peak decade
- 28% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
244 girls have been named Ernesta since 1915, peaking in the 1970s, last recorded in 1981.
- 244
- total births
- 1915–1981
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
1970s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Ernesta was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
13 babies were named Ernesta in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
Ernesta's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ernesta splits its recorded history at 1957: 51% of all births land in the more recent half, 49% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1920 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1918 peak of 13 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ernesta at a glance
Last recorded 1981Peak year
1918
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1915
Ernesta popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–1981
- Peak year (1918)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 67 years of records
Ernesta by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Ernesta's strongest decade.
69 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Ernesta births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
41 births
- 1920s 21
1920s
21 births
- 1930s 19
1930s
19 births
- 1940s 18
1940s
18 births
- 1950s
1950s
35 births
- 1960s
1960s
30 births
- 1970s
1970s
69 births
- 1980s 11
1980s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 69 births (28% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ernesta? ▼
Since 1915, Social Security records show 244 babies named Ernesta. The most recent recorded year was 1981. Its busiest year on record was 1918, with 13 births.
When was Ernesta most popular? ▼
Ernesta was most popular in the 1970s decade with 69 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
How long has the name Ernesta been used? ▼
Ernesta has been recorded in Social Security data since 1915, spanning 67 years of data through 1981.
What names are similar to Ernesta? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ernestine, Erna, Ernestina, Ernest, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ernesta's data
- Ernesta's decade-level peak was the 1970s (69 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Ernesta
Nearby Names Like Ernesta
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ernesta
Ernestine Girl
44,032 births
Erna Girl
9,060 births
Ernestina Girl
5,309 births
Ernest Girl
1,855 births
Ernie Girl
714 births
Compare Ernesta side by side: Ernesta vs Ernestine Ernesta vs Erna Ernesta vs Ernestina
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1915–1981 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ernesta: Baby Name Since 1915 - 244 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ernesta. 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 Ernesta 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 July 2026.