Ernie
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Ernie
Not too long ago, Ernie may have felt totally out of style: a clunky old man nickname, best reserved for grandpa alongside Merle, Errol, and Barney. Now however, it's a rising star, a vintage revival in the England and Wales Top 350 where it features alongside Percy and Teddie.
Ernie for boys#5270 US
Traditionally used as a nickname for virtue name Ernest (or Earnest, if you prefer), celebrity chef Stephanie Izard made a strong case for Ernie when she gave the name to her son in 2016 while Princess Eugenie also uses Ernie as a nickname for son Ernest, giving it a royal connection.
Notably appearing in Sesame Street, a fun bit of trivia about Ernie is that it is an anagram of Irene.
A recent year saw it given to just 18 boys in the US, making it one of those "exclusively UK" favorites for now. Long form Ernest has, however, been quietly on the rise, given to more than 200 boys which could mean more little Ernies.
Ernie for girls
Can Ernie shed the rubber ducky association and make its way onto the vintage revivals list? With the growing wave of boyish nicknames for girls — a la Billie and Scottie — Ernie may strike a different note.
Ernie is making waves for boys since celebrity chef Stephanie Izard chose it for her son and Princess Eugenie used it as a nickname for baby Ernest. Maybe girls are next.
Pronounced ER-nee.
As of October 2026, Ernie ranked #5270 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #305 in 1945.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #4,048 | 25 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #4,332 | 23 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #3,804 | 28 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #4,794 | 20 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #4,399 | 23 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #4,050 | 25 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #4,979 | 19 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #4,753 | 21 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #4,931 | 20 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Ernie for boys
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Ernie on lists
Famous Ernies
- Theodore Ernest "Ernie" ElsBoy
South African pro golfer
- Ernest James "Ernie" WattsBoy
American jazz musician
- Earnest Lee "Ernie" HudsonBoy
American actor
- Ernest "Ernie" BanksBoy
American baseball player
- William Earnest "Ernie" HarwellBoy
American sportscaster
- Ernest Edward "Ernie" KovacsBoy
American comedian
- Ernest Larry "Ernie" EvesBoy
former premier of Ontario, Canada
- Virgil Earnest "Ernie" IrvanBoy
American NASCAR driver
- Ernest Eugene "Ernie" BarnesBoy
American painter
- Ernest Taylor "Ernie" PyleBoy
American journalist and author
- Ernest Lee "Ernie" FletcherBoy
former U.S. Congressman and governor of Kentucky
- Ernie William Valentine (b. 2016)Boy
son of Top Chef Stephanie Izard and Gary Valentine
Ernie in pop culture
- ErnieBoy
Sesame Street Muppet
- Ernie MacmillanBoy
character from the Harry Potter series
- Ernie HendersonBoy
character on TV's "Harry and the Hendersons"
- Ernie CooperBoy
character on TV's "K.C. Undercover"
- Cousin ErnieBoy
character from “I Love Lucy”