Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1917

Ernst

Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Ernst
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1917
59 babies
All-time total
2,383
#2,963 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Ernst popularity over time

2,383 babies have been named Ernst since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1885Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 117 12 – #417
1890s 97 10 -17% #526
1900s 72 7 -26% #652
1910s 371 37 +415% #834
1920s 350 35 -6% #1,055
1930s 281 28 -20% #1,139
1940s 202 20 -28% #1,342
1950s 208 21 +3% #1,527
1960s 182 18 -13% #1,671
1970s 149 15 -18% #1,904
1980s 162 16 +9% #2,363
1990s 98 10 -40% #4,245
2000s 59 6 -40% #7,006
2010s 30 3 -49% #9,980
2020s (to 2025) 5 1 -72% #12,714

The story of Ernst

Ernst is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 2,383 American babies have been named Ernst. Its peak came in 1917, when 59 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Ernst stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Ernst?

The median living Ernst is about 55 years old; half are between 39 and 70. An estimated 900 people named Ernst are alive in the United States today.

median 55 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Ernst year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 5 #12,714
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 5 #12,737
2017 – –
2016 6 #11,143
2015 6 #11,098
2014 – –
2013 7 #9,980
2012 – –
2011 6 #11,263
2010 – –
2009 5 #13,055
2008 8 #9,248
2007 – –
2006 7 #9,887
2005 5 #11,983
2004 10 #7,140
2003 – –
2002 7 #8,735
2001 8 #7,766
2000 9 #7,006
1995 6 #8,121
1990 13 #4,245
1985 22 #2,375
1980 11 #3,693
1975 13 #2,953
1970 22 #1,904
1965 21 #1,738
1960 13 #2,354
1955 20 #1,746
1950 20 #1,669
1945 15 #1,804
1940 25 #1,342
1935 31 #1,208
1930 38 #1,139
1925 43 #1,055
1920 43 #1,079
1915 48 #896
1910 7 #1,346
1905 8 #948
1900 9 #928
1895 13 #583
1890 9 #688
1885 19 #417
1880 9 #651

Famous people named Ernst

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Ernst Röhm Ernst Röhm German Nazi military officer (1887–1934) 19th century
  2. 2 Ernst Kaltenbrunner Ernst Kaltenbrunner Austrian SS official (1903–1946) Contemporary
  3. 3 Ernst Jünger Ernst Jünger German soldier and author (1895–1998) 19th century
  4. 4 Ernst Thälmann Ernst Thälmann German communist politician (1886–1944) 19th century
  5. 5 Ernst Hanfstaengl Ernst Hanfstaengl German American businessman (1887–1975) 19th century
  6. 6 Ernst vom Rath Ernst vom Rath German diplomat (1909–1938) Contemporary
  7. 7 Ernst Haeckel Ernst Haeckel German zoologist (1834–1919) 19th century
  8. 8 Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch German and American film director (1892–1947) 19th century
  9. 9 Ernst Udet Ernst Udet Luftwaffe general 1896–1941 · 19th century
  10. 10 Ernst Mach Ernst Mach Austrian physicist, philosopher and university educator (1838–1916) 19th century
  11. 11 Ernst Happel Ernst Happel Austrian footballer and manager (1925–1992) Contemporary
  12. 12 Ernst Toller Ernst Toller German author and revolutionary (1893–1939) 19th century
  13. 13 Ernst Bloch Ernst Bloch German Marxist philosopher (1885–1977) 19th century
  14. 14 Ernst Cassirer Ernst Cassirer German philosopher (1874–1945) 19th century
  15. 15 Ernst Gräfenberg Ernst Gräfenberg German-born scientist (1881–1957) 19th century
  16. 16 Ernst Mayr Ernst Mayr German-American evolutionary biologist (1904–2005) Contemporary
  17. 17 Ernst Gombrich Ernst Gombrich Austrian-British art historian (1909–2001) Contemporary
  18. 18 Ernst Zermelo Ernst Zermelo German logician and mathematician (1871–1953) 19th century
  19. 19 Ernst von Dohnányi Ernst von Dohnányi Hungarian composer and pianist (1877–1960) 19th century
  20. 20 Ernst Chain Ernst Chain German-born British biochemist (1906–1979) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Ernst, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Ernst?

The median living Ernst is about 55 years old. Half of all living Ernsts are between 39 and 70 years old.

How many people named Ernst are alive today?

An estimated 900 people named Ernst are alive in the United States, based on 2,383 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Ernst in 2025?

Ernst did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Ernst?

2,383 babies have been named Ernst in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Ernst most popular?

Ernst peaked in 1917, when 59 newborns received the name.

Is Ernst a boy or girl name?

Ernst is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Ernst rising or falling?

Ernst is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Ernst?

Well-known people named Ernst include Ernst Röhm (military personnel), Ernst Kaltenbrunner (politician), Ernst Jünger (writer).

Names like Ernst

Names that sound and feel close to Ernst: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Ernst with similar names → More names starting with E →