Is Earnest a boy or girl name?
Earnest as a boy's name is of Old German origin, and the meaning of Earnest is "serious or battle to the death".
Gwendolen was fascinated by the fact that Jack (Ernest) was an orphan. Gwendolen and Cecily both want someone named Ernest and this that their romantic dream men was chosen based on title, not character.
Gwendolen is in love with Jack, whom she knows as Ernest, and she is fixated on this name. This preoccupation serves as a metaphor for the preoccupation of the Victorian middle- and upper-middle classes with the appearance of virtue and honor.
The name of “Ernest” comes to symbolize different things for different people. For Gwendolen and Cecily it “inspires absolute confidence” but also symbolizes the ideal husband/ lover.
Ernie as a Nickname: A Common Practice for Both Genders
Ernie is also commonly used as a nickname for both boys and girls. For boys, it is often a shortened form of Ernest, while for girls, it can be a nickname for names like Ernestine or Ernestina.
With German origins, Ernie is a boy's name meaning “serious” or “resolute.” This charming name is a variation of the name Ernest and can often be used as a nickname.
The word earnest is derived from the Old English word eornost which means serious intent. Earnest may be used as an adjective or noun, related words are earnestness and earnestly. Ernest is a masculine name. The name Ernest is derived from the German names Ernst and Ernust.
Origin: Ernest is the English form of the German given name Ernst, derived from the Old Germanic Ernust ""seriousness, firmness, vigour" cognate with the English word earnest.
Popularity of the name Ernest
The name Ernest is ranked #3430 overall.
Cecily admits, “It had always been a girlish dream of mine to love some one whose name was Ernest. There is something in that name that seems to inspire absolute confidence.” Indeed, there is almost a worship of the name more than what it represents.
Is Jack's real name Ernest?
Furthermore, Jack had been originally christened “Ernest John.” All these years Jack has unwittingly been telling the truth: Ernest is his name, as is Jack, and he does have an unprincipled younger brother—Algernon.
The Personality Traits Associated with the Name Ernest
People named Ernest are known for their serious and trustworthy nature.

Origin:German. Meaning:serious; battle to the death. Ernest is a boy's name of German origin.
The play's protagonist. Jack Worthing is a seemingly responsible and respectable young man who leads a double life. In Hertfordshire, where he has a country estate, Jack is known as Jack. In London he is known as Ernest.
I have introduced you to every one as Ernest. You answer to the name of Ernest. You look as if your name was Ernest. You are the most earnest-looking person I ever saw in my life.
Gender: William is historically the masculine form of the name. Feminine variations include Wilhelmina, Wilma, and Billie.
Laura, Lara, Laurie, Laurel, Lorenza and Lorraine.
The name 'Navina' is the female form of Naveen.
If you are asking what Ernie is shortened from, then it is Ernest.
Initially an affectionate nickname, Bert is now a fully independent first name. Derived from Germanic titles like Robert, Albert, Norbert, and Engelbert, to name a few, Bert comes brimming with flattering endearments. Meaning “bright,” “famous,” and “noble,” Bert is the ideal crown to give the apple of your eye.
What gender is the name Sissy?
The name Sissy is primarily a female name of American origin that means Diminutive Form Of Cecilia. Also a nickname for sister or a person who is cowardly.
Ernest Symbol Analysis. Similar to Bunbury, Ernest represents deception, fiction, and escapism, but also idealism. While Algernon and Jack attempt to masquerade as the real Ernest, he is just as fictional as Algernon's Bunbury.
Its general meaning is that of a pledge or token given as the assurance of the fulfillment of a bargain or promise.
Etymology. Borrowed in the 18th century from Ernst, a medieval royal name in Germany, from Old High German ernust (“vigor, strife”), only remotely related to modern German ernst or English earnest.
The name Earnest is primarily a male name of English origin that means Diligent, Truthful.
“The things she'll teach Ryman in this life by her actions will transcend anything he'll learn in a building,” ERNEST shared. Just days before Mother's Day, ERNEST is paying tribute to his wife, Delaney Royer, with a heartfelt new song, “Takes After You.”
Letter U is the least common. It barely shows up on the chart, so if you are looking for a unique name, maybe pick one that starts with U. Note that Unique isn't entirely unique, though. About 100 children have been named Unique every year since the 1970s.
- 18 Celia.
- 17 Pascal.
- 16 Juniper.
- 15 Ellington.
- 14 Olympia.
- 13 Poet.
- 12 Sacha.
- 11 Collins.
Drake: 494 babies born in 2021 were given the first name Drake. Edwin: This is the more common spelling of the name, as in 2021, 913 babies were named Edwin while 13 were named Edwyn. Forrest: Gump trumps Whitaker with 763 babies being given the name Forrest in 2021, while 359 have their name spelled with just one 'r'.
Being earnest actually means that one is serious in their intention and purpose, or effort; showing depth and sincerity of feelings. Oscar Wilde wrote a play which was first performed in London in 1895 called 'The Importance of Being Earnest.
What is Cecily short for?
Cecily is the English form of the Latin name Cecilia.
Turning his thoughts to Cecily, Jack decides to kill off his "brother" Ernest with a severe chill in Paris because Cecily Cardew, his ward, is far too interested in the wicked Ernest, and as her guardian, Jack feels it his duty to protect her from inappropriate marriage suitors.
Ernest is the name Jack goes by in London, where he really goes on these occasions. The fictional brother is Jack's alibi, his excuse for disappearing from Hertfordshire and going off to London to escape his responsibilities and indulge in exactly the sort of behavior he pretends to disapprove of in his brother.
Lesson Summary. The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde. In it, the main character, an orphan named Jack Worthing and his friend, Algernon Moncrieff both pretend to be named Ernest.
What is the lucky number of Ernest? The lucky number associated with the name Ernest is "9".
Performance. Performance is a central theme in The Importance of Being Earnest. Both of Wilde's main characters, Jack and Algernon, lead double lives, which means that they are each pretending to be someone they are not, or performing.
Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew are the two female leads in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. Both women provide the main source of conflict in this romantic comedy; they are the objects of affection.
“I've now realized for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest.” “To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.” “It is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth.”
Ernest P. Worrell : My motto is, "I never met a bad kid."
Ultimately it is revealed that Jack is really Lady Bracknell's nephew, that his real name is Ernest, and that Algernon is actually his brother. The play ends with both couples happily united.
What does the name Earnest mean in the Bible?
Its general meaning is that of a pledge or token given as the assurance of the fulfillment of a bargain or promise.
Jack uses his alter-ego Ernest to keep his honorable image intact. Ernest enables Jack to escape the boundaries of his real life and act as he wouldn't dare to under his real identity. Ernest provides a convenient excuse and disguise for Jack, and Jack feels no qualms about invoking Ernest whenever necessary.
noun. a male given name: from an Old English word meaning “vigor, intent.”
Earnest may be used as an adjective or noun, related words are earnestness and earnestly. Ernest is a masculine name. The name Ernest is derived from the German names Ernst and Ernust. The name Ernest is considered old-fashioned.
Edna (Hebrew: עֶדְנָה) is a female given name originating from several languages.
Some common synonyms of earnest are grave, sedate, serious, sober, solemn, and staid. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.
having or showing a serious intention or manner. We thought he was joking at first, but his earnest expression showed us he was not. synonyms: deliberate, intent, serious, sober, solemn, staid antonyms: frivolous, ironic similar words: determined, diligent, fervent, grave, purposeful, resolute, sober-minded.
Earnest. Α᾿ῤῥαβών is evidently the Hebrew עֵרָבוֹן (erabon', a pledge) in Greek characters.
Rather than a form of the name Ernest, the title implies earnestness as a quality one should seek to acquire, as in being honest, sincere, sober, and serious.
For example, "Divorces are made in heaven" (a corruption of the familiar "Marriages are made in heaven") suggests that divorce contributes to happiness — perhaps a greater truism than the familiar phrase given the tenor of Victorian society.
What is the German version of Ernest?
Etymology. Borrowed from German Ernst, a medieval royal name in Germany, from Old High German ernust (“vigor, strife”).
One popular choice is “Ernie,” short, and sweet, and easy to pronounce. Another option is “Neste,” which adds a unique twist to the traditional name.