US Popularity Rank: 26149

Origin: German

Meaning: Serious business; Battle to the death

We are dead serious when we say that you should pick the name Ernst! A boy’s name of German origins, Ernst is a shorter version of the classically popular Old German name Ernest. This derives from the German word eornost, giving this name the meaning of “serious business” or “battle to the death.” These are certainly fighting words, setting baby up for a life of being able to defend themselves and face every obstacle that life throws at them head-on. You might recognize this name from the likes of James Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, German Jewish philosopher Ernst Cassirer, and even the accounting firm Ernst & Young.