Ernie
A diminutive of the male given name Ernest.
Every Ernie since 1880 — 17,234 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ernie
Ernie is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,270 in 2025 with 18 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 17,234 American babies have been named Ernie. Its peak came in 1959, when 455 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Ernie stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ernie 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 | — | — | 18 | #5,270 |
| 2024 | — | — | 14 | #6,280 |
| 2023 | — | — | 20 | #4,936 |
| 2022 | — | — | 21 | #4,754 |
| 2021 | — | — | 19 | #4,980 |
| 2020 | — | — | 25 | #4,051 |
| 2019 | — | — | 18 | #5,220 |
| 2018 | — | — | 23 | #4,401 |
| 2017 | — | — | 20 | #4,796 |
| 2016 | — | — | 28 | #3,805 |
| 2015 | — | — | 23 | #4,332 |
| 2014 | — | — | 25 | #4,048 |
| 2013 | — | — | 19 | #4,857 |
| 2012 | — | — | 26 | #3,935 |
| 2011 | — | — | 40 | #2,918 |
| 2010 | — | — | 27 | #3,844 |
| 2009 | — | — | 24 | #4,197 |
| 2008 | — | — | 37 | #3,127 |
| 2007 | — | — | 48 | #2,575 |
| 2006 | — | — | 46 | #2,596 |
| 2005 | — | — | 51 | #2,307 |
| 2004 | — | — | 51 | #2,256 |
| 2003 | — | — | 64 | #1,854 |
| 2002 | — | — | 49 | #2,165 |
| 2001 | — | — | 42 | #2,356 |
| 2000 | — | — | 65 | #1,729 |
| 1995 | — | — | 60 | #1,566 |
| 1990 | — | — | 100 | #1,062 |
| 1985 | — | — | 96 | #928 |
| 1980 | — | — | 124 | #787 |
| 1975 | — | — | 130 | #725 |
| 1970 | — | — | 212 | #556 |
| 1965 | — | — | 265 | #478 |
| 1960 | 8 | #4,892 | 435 | #378 |
| 1955 | 14 | #3,133 | 311 | #416 |
| 1950 | 9 | #3,765 | 305 | #383 |
| 1945 | 11 | #2,788 | 381 | #305 |
| 1940 | 9 | #3,036 | 172 | #442 |
| 1935 | 16 | #2,026 | 161 | #449 |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,462 | 104 | #594 |
| 1925 | 13 | #2,666 | 86 | #699 |
| 1920 | 13 | #2,635 | 77 | #749 |
| 1915 | 17 | #1,905 | 69 | #708 |
| 1910 | 12 | #1,361 | 19 | #685 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,035 | 19 | #535 |
| 1900 | — | — | 12 | #756 |
| 1895 | 8 | #1,226 | 7 | #916 |
| 1890 | — | — | 9 | #687 |
| 1885 | — | — | 6 | #868 |
| 1880 | — | — | 6 | #852 |
Famous people named Ernie
- Ernie Hudson Actor · b. 1945
- Ernie Terrell Boxer · 1939–2014
- Ernie Davis American football player · 1939–1963
- Ernie Pyle Writer · 1900–1945
- Ernie Brandts Soccer player · b. 1956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ernie mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Ernest.
How popular is the name Ernie in 2025?
Ernie ranked #5,270 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 18 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ernie?
17,234 babies have been named Ernie in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ernie most popular?
Ernie peaked in 1959, when 455 newborns received the name.
Is Ernie a boy or girl name?
Ernie is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ernie rising or falling?
Ernie is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ernie?
Well-known people named Ernie include Ernie Hudson (actor), Ernie Terrell (boxer), Ernie Davis (american football player).