Total births
44,032
Girls' name · since 1880
Ernestine
Ernestine has 44,032 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1928 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 44,032
- total births
- 1880–2021
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
44,032 girls have been named Ernestine since 1880, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Ernestine recorded 44,032 times among girls since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2021.
- 44,032 total births
- 1880–2021 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 22% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
44,032 girls have been named Ernestine since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2021.
- 44,032
- total births
- 1880–2021
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Ernestine was born in this single decade.
1928
Single peak year
1,057 babies were named Ernestine in 1928 - its busiest year on record.
Ernestine's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Ernestine's SSA record in two at 1948 and the more recent half accounts for 27% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 73%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2006, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1928 peak of 1,057, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Ernestine at a glance
Last recorded 2021Peak year
1928
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Ernestine popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2021
- Peak year (1928)
- 1,057
- Annual births at peak, across 142 years of records
Ernestine popularity over time - boys
159 total births recorded since 1922 (Ernestine as boys' name)
Ernestine by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Ernestine's strongest decade.
9,608 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Ernestine births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 322
1880s
322 births
- 1890s 679
1890s
679 births
- 1900s 1,238
1900s
1,238 births
- 1910s
1910s
5,217 births
- 1920s
1920s
9,608 births
- 1930s
1930s
8,516 births
- 1940s
1940s
7,970 births
- 1950s
1950s
5,653 births
- 1960s 2,913
1960s
2,913 births
- 1970s 999
1970s
999 births
- 1980s 552
1980s
552 births
- 1990s 237
1990s
237 births
- 2000s 54
2000s
54 births
- 2010s 62
2010s
62 births
- 2020s 12
2020s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 9,608 births (22% of all-time use).
How Ernestine compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Ernestine's total volume
Ernestine vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Ernestine by state
Where Ernestine concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 2,891 | 6.6% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 2,804 | 6.4% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 2,320 | 5.3% |
| #4 | Mississippi | | 2,268 | 5.2% |
| #5 | South Carolina | | 2,231 | 5.1% |
| #6 | Alabama | | 1,961 | 4.5% |
| #7 | New York | | 1,873 | 4.3% |
| #8 | California | | 1,673 | 3.8% |
Texas share of Ernestine's total US births 6.6%
Even split
2,891 of 44,032 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 45 reporting states.
Ernestine appears in 45 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ernestine? ▼
Ernestine has been given to 44,032 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2021. 1,057 babies were born in 1928, its single highest year.
When was Ernestine most popular? ▼
Ernestine was most popular in the 1920s decade with 9,608 total births. The single peak year was 1928.
Where is Ernestine most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ernestine are Texas (2,891 births), North Carolina (2,804 births), Georgia (2,320 births).
How long has the name Ernestine been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Ernestine since 1880 -- 142 years through the most recent 2021 data.
What names are similar to Ernestine? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Erna, Ernestina, Ernest, Ernie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ernestine's data
- Ernestine's decade-level peak was the 1920s (9,608 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Ernestines (2,891 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 Ernestine
Nearby Names Like Ernestine
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ernestine
Erna Girl
9,060 births
Ernestina Girl
5,309 births
Ernest Girl
1,855 births
Ernie Girl
714 births
Ernesteen Girl
249 births
Compare Ernestine side by side: Ernestine vs Erna Ernestine vs Ernestina Ernestine vs Ernest
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Teri #10364
43,957 births · Peak 1960
Daphne #193
44,182 births · Peak 2025
Emery #70
43,837 births · Peak 2025
Effie #2462
44,256 births · Peak 1919
Mckenna #376
44,308 births · Peak 2002
Kyla #548
43,674 births · Peak 2004
Darla #1026
43,667 births · Peak 1963
Phoebe #183
43,658 births · Peak 2025
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, 1880–2021 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ernestine: Baby Name Since 1880 - 44,032 Births, Peak 1928." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ernestine. 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 Ernestine 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.