Earnest
A male given name from the Germanic languages, of occasional usage, variant of Ernest.
Every Earnest since 1880 — 59,115 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Earnest
Earnest is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,164 in 2025 with 25 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 59,115 American babies have been named Earnest. Its peak came in 1926, when 1,159 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Earnest stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Earnest year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 25 | #4,164 |
| 2024 | — | — | 17 | #5,500 |
| 2023 | — | — | 24 | #4,377 |
| 2022 | — | — | 24 | #4,340 |
| 2021 | — | — | 21 | #4,675 |
| 2020 | — | — | 28 | #3,748 |
| 2019 | — | — | 27 | #3,921 |
| 2018 | — | — | 40 | #2,963 |
| 2017 | — | — | 32 | #3,466 |
| 2016 | — | — | 24 | #4,230 |
| 2015 | — | — | 33 | #3,386 |
| 2014 | — | — | 37 | #3,052 |
| 2013 | — | — | 31 | #3,436 |
| 2012 | — | — | 50 | #2,503 |
| 2011 | — | — | 53 | #2,387 |
| 2010 | — | — | 37 | #3,091 |
| 2009 | — | — | 44 | #2,769 |
| 2008 | — | — | 51 | #2,481 |
| 2007 | — | — | 50 | #2,512 |
| 2006 | — | — | 59 | #2,191 |
| 2005 | — | — | 49 | #2,380 |
| 2004 | — | — | 56 | #2,108 |
| 2003 | — | — | 50 | #2,187 |
| 2002 | — | — | 63 | #1,823 |
| 2001 | — | — | 69 | #1,684 |
| 2000 | — | — | 68 | #1,687 |
| 1995 | — | — | 92 | #1,209 |
| 1990 | — | — | 145 | #849 |
| 1985 | — | — | 178 | #659 |
| 1980 | 5 | #10,824 | 251 | #541 |
| 1975 | 6 | #8,278 | 285 | #473 |
| 1970 | 9 | #5,506 | 383 | #417 |
| 1965 | 12 | #3,798 | 443 | #366 |
| 1960 | 17 | #3,019 | 592 | #320 |
| 1955 | 10 | #3,859 | 696 | #269 |
| 1950 | 18 | #2,369 | 888 | #213 |
| 1945 | 20 | #1,895 | 807 | #188 |
| 1940 | 12 | #2,457 | 797 | #184 |
| 1935 | 16 | #2,024 | 881 | #163 |
| 1930 | 11 | #2,732 | 991 | #153 |
| 1925 | 15 | #2,407 | 1,103 | #148 |
| 1920 | 10 | #3,165 | 1,092 | #140 |
| 1915 | — | — | 824 | #143 |
| 1910 | — | — | 255 | #128 |
| 1905 | — | — | 172 | #124 |
| 1900 | — | — | 223 | #106 |
| 1895 | — | — | 143 | #118 |
| 1890 | — | — | 122 | #120 |
| 1885 | — | — | 120 | #113 |
| 1880 | — | — | 88 | #154 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Earnest mean?
A male given name from the Germanic languages, of occasional usage, variant of Ernest.
How popular is the name Earnest in 2025?
Earnest ranked #4,164 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 25 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Earnest?
59,115 babies have been named Earnest in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Earnest most popular?
Earnest peaked in 1926, when 1,159 newborns received the name.
Is Earnest a boy or girl name?
Earnest is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Earnest rising or falling?
Earnest is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.