Ernie is a masculine name of English and German origin, derived from the Old High German word "ernust, " meaning "serious" or "earnest. " It serves as a diminutive form of the name Ernest. Over time, Ernie has been used globally, finding significant prevalence in English-speaking nations and Germanic-speaking regions. The name experienced a surge in popularity during the early 20th century, consistently ranking within the top 1000 baby names from the 1900s. However, its popularity declined, with its last appearance in the top 1000 recorded in 1988, according to SSA records in the US.
