Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Erna as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Erna

♡Add to my Name List

The baby name Erna is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced ER-nah; IPA: /ˈɜrnə/ (EN), /ˈɛʁna/ (DE).

Erna is Germanic in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Germanic
Pronunciation: ER-nah; IPA: /ˈɜrnə/ (EN), /ˈɛʁna/ (DE)

What is the meaning of the name Erna ?

The baby name Erna is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced ER-nah; IPA: /ˈɜrnə/ (EN), /ˈɛʁna/ (DE).

Erna is Germanic in Origin.

Erna is a compact Germanic feminine name deriving from Old High German ernust, “serious, resolute,” making it the feminine counterpart of Ernst/Ernest and a shortened form of Ernestine or Ernestina. The name is also attested in medieval Scandinavian sources - most notably in the Poetic Edda’s Rígsþula - showing early pan‑Norse circulation and connotations of steadfastness.

Use surged in German-speaking Europe from the late 19th century through the interwar years and spread through Central and Northern Europe; in English-speaking countries it saw modest early‑1900s popularity before fading, now read as a crisp vintage choice. Variants and related forms include Ernestine, Ernestina, Ernesta, and Polish Ernestyna; diminutives and nicknames include Erni, Erny, and Ernie. Male counterparts are Ernst and Ernest, with regional cognates such as Hungarian Ernő. The core meaning stays consistent across languages: earnest, determined, and dependable.

Erna has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Erna

Erna Solberg Politician · Born 1961 · Norway Erna Solberg is a prominent Norwegian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Norway from 2013 to 2021. She is a member of the Conservative Party and has been influential in shaping Norway's domestic and foreign policies. Known for her leadership and dedication, she played a key role in navigating the country through various economic and social challenges.

Erna – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Germany Girls 2025 #1 — 411
KR Girls 0 #15 1 572
ID Girls 0 #18 98 3,319
Iceland Girls 0 #22 52 132
HT Girls 0 #23 1 950
Iceland 0 #24 12 71
NA 0 #28 6 2,537
BN 0 #29 4 2,297
Iceland Girls 2023 #31 809 60
ID 0 #33 7 2,238
BN Girls 0 #55 52 5,459
CM 0 #56 1 2,592
AL 0 #76 1 2,372
SI 0 #76 5 1,612
RS 0 #81 4 923
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
LT 0 #87 2 949
TW 0 #95 9 4,523
QA 0 #103 4 7,011
GE Girls 0 #107 2 1,564
PH 0 #109 2 5,607
HU 0 #112 4 1,675
RS Girls 0 #116 20 1,651
KW 0 #119 3 5,216
EC 0 #121 1 2,502
Norway Girls 2002 #123 4 539
Switzerland Girls 2024 #134 2 1,786
ID Boys 0 #134 2 4,130
BN Boys 0 #136 4 6,332
NA Girls 0 #136 90 7,146
SI Girls 0 #138 37 2,769
TW Girls 0 #141 149 8,139
EE Girls 0 #142 1 1,888
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
MT Girls 0 #152 2 3,773
RS Boys 0 #154 1 2,277
HR 0 #174 8 2,081
Sweden Girls 2022 #176 4 1,568
AE 0 #181 7 10,220
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
LU Girls 0 #188 3 4,850
HU Girls 0 #191 33 3,308
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
LT Girls 0 #195 6 1,904
NL Girls 0 #199 2,007 5,933
Austria Girls 0 #200 296 1,885
DK 0 #200 7 5,198
Austria 0 #203 11 850
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
AL Girls 0 #222 6 4,141
MO Girls 0 #228 24 7,056
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
HR Girls 0 #239 51 3,687
GR Girls 0 #246 4 6,293
JP Girls 0 #249 3 6,592
NA Boys 0 #253 1 6,830
DK Girls 0 #254 63 7,429
TW Boys 0 #255 2 7,111
SG 0 #260 10 11,010
QA Girls 0 #263 54 15,378
NL 0 #276 118 2,481
JM Girls 0 #277 2 7,507
MY Girls 0 #281 1,277 24,821
MY 0 #285 46 12,352
Finland 0 #291 17 830
KZ Boys 0 #293 4 6,578
SA 0 #310 3 10,560
OM Girls 0 #317 80 15,987
SG Girls 0 #322 285 18,916
CZ Girls 0 #328 14 5,378
KZ Girls 0 #330 3 5,862
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
JO Girls 0 #337 3 7,570
GT 0 #338 1 5,948
HK 0 #351 7 8,483
PH Girls 0 #351 40 13,098
CN Girls 0 #354 6 8,829
Finland Girls 0 #355 37 1,368
PL Girls 0 #357 8 5,096
SD Girls 0 #357 2 7,678
BR 0 #359 2 5,969
MU Girls 0 #362 1 8,539
CL 0 #379 33 6,867
ZA 0 #379 69 14,421
CL Girls 0 #382 673 14,098
France Girls 2021 #403 3 3,185
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
BO 0 #408 1 6,868
EG 0 #411 2 6,387
Germany 0 #413 25 2,542
AE Girls 0 #431 123 20,968
CM Girls 0 #440 101 11,671
MX 0 #445 1 8,339
HK Girls 0 #453 163 16,104
KW Girls 0 #457 59 19,177
PT Girls 0 #468 4 7,952
Germany Girls 0 #469 457 4,949
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
RU Girls 0 #486 13 11,913
GT Boys 0 #499 1 7,625
PS Girls 0 #504 20 10,981
PA Boys 0 #505 1 9,305
CO 0 #510 1 7,768
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
PA Girls 0 #512 7 9,861
LY 0 #516 20 12,703
IR Girls 0 #518 13 8,334
IQ Girls 0 #522 4 11,303
BH 0 #528 26 17,937
UY Girls 0 #530 7 6,731
Finland Girls 2026 #535 240 3,895
SA Girls 0 #539 422 25,931
HK Boys 0 #555 3 12,905
ZA Girls 0 #560 790 25,928
CR Girls 0 #567 7 11,342
CM Boys 0 #574 2 12,054
AR Girls 0 #582 18 8,289
IL Girls 0 #595 23 11,648
BO Girls 0 #647 5 9,488
SG Boys 0 #688 10 17,960
LB 0 #689 2 13,263
CL Boys 0 #696 5 13,390
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
SY 0 #766 2 11,684
KW Boys 0 #806 1 18,755
NG Girls 0 #826 1 15,093
BR Girls 0 #860 82 12,708
TN 0 #863 3 13,765
United States Girls 2021 #915 6 8,741
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
PE Boys 0 #926 1 14,506
PE Girls 0 #934 10 14,861
Germany Boys 0 #942 11 5,697
EG Girls 0 #950 10 14,742
Spain Girls 0 #957 27 5,561
CO Boys 0 #981 1 15,656
MX Boys 0 #1,033 1 16,355
CO Girls 0 #1,058 21 16,140
MY Boys 0 #1,068 44 25,439
AE Boys 0 #1,136 8 22,615
TR 0 #1,190 22 19,440
MA 0 #1,196 4 20,986
IT Girls 0 #1,231 216 9,415
DZ 0 #1,234 1 20,130
MX Girls 0 #1,259 9 17,781
ZA Boys 0 #1,268 5 25,619
SA Boys 0 #1,591 24 28,008

Erna is popular in 83 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Norway
Switzerland
Sweden
United States

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Erna

Erna is predominantly a girl's name.
Erna is a 2 syllable name, pronounced ER-nah; IPA: /ˈɜrnə/ (EN), /ˈɛʁna/ (DE).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Ernestine, Ernesta, Ernestina, Arna and Ernie.
Yes, very popular — Erna ranked #1 in Germany in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 8 countries.
Erna ranks highest in Germany (#1 in 2025).
Erna's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #405 in 2012 to #403 in 2021 in France.
Yes — 1 notable people named Erna are in our database, including Erna Solberg (Politician).