Earnest is an English given name of Latin origin, meaning ' serious' or ' grave'. It was particularly popular during the Victorian era and is often associated with the works of British author Earnest Hemingway. The name Earnest has been used by notable figures such as American politician Earnest Hollings and Canadian football player Earnest Jackson.
"The name Earnest experienced considerable fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a high of 20 births in 1922 and a low of just 5 births in both 1898 and 1963. The name reached its peak during the 1920s and early 1930s, before declining in popularity throughout the mid to late century. Overall, there were 726 babies named Earnest between 1898 and 1980."