Earnest

At a Glance: Name: Earnest – Meaning: serious, resolute (variant of Ernest) – Origin: English (variant spelling of Ernest, from Germanic) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: UR-nist

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Earnest is a variant spelling of Ernest, tracing back to a Germanic root, and it carries the meaning "serious, resolute." It's pronounced UR-nist. If you like the sound and history of Ernest but want a slightly different look on the page, Earnest is the alternate spelling to consider.

Meaning & Origin of Earnest

Meaning: Serious, resolute (variant of ernest).

Origin: English (variant spelling of Ernest, from Germanic).

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Earnest

Phonetic: UR-nist   IPA: /ˈɜːrnɪst/

Popularity of Earnest

Earnest peaked at #106 on the SSA list in 1900, when 223 boys were given the name, but by 2024 it had fallen to #5489 with just 17 babies named Earnest that year.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.

Make Earnest Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Earnest, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Alder
• Anson
• Arnett
• Ashon
• Birch
• Booker

FAQ

What does the name Earnest mean?

Serious, resolute (variant of ernest). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Earnest)

How do you pronounce Earnest?

Earnest is pronounced UR-nist (IPA: /ˈɜːrnɪst/).

Is Earnest a popular name right now?

Earnest peaked at #106 in 1900 and is ranked #5489 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

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