UK girl's name
Erna
A feminine given name of Germanic origin meaning "vigor" or "battle".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 1999. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Erna is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Erna popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 1999 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3900, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 1999 to 1999. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Erna is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Erna. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2000 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Erna ranked #3900 for girls in England and Wales in 1999, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 3 girls were registered as Erna.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Erna as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3900
1999
Births in 1999
3
Latest year
Peak year
1999
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Erna mean?
The given name Erna has its origins in the Germanic languages, derived from the Old High German "Ernust" or "Ernu," which means "vigor" or "battle." This name can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 8th to 11th centuries AD, when it was commonly used in various Germanic tribes and regions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Erna can be found in the Codex Traditionum Corbeiensium, a medieval cartulary from the Corvey Abbey in present-day Germany, dating back to the 9th century. The name appears in several entries, indicating its usage among the local population during that time.
In the following centuries, the name Erna continued to be popular across various Germanic regions, including parts of modern-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It also found its way into Scandinavian countries, where variations like Erna and Yrna were used.
Historically, the name Erna has been associated with several notable individuals. One such figure is Erna Berger (1900-1990), a German soprano and renowned opera singer who performed extensively in the 1920s and 1930s. Another prominent bearer of the name was Erna Sack (1898-1972), a German writer and poet known for her works exploring the experiences of women during World War II.
In the field of science, Erna Schneider Hoover (1926-2019) was an American mathematician and computer programmer who made significant contributions to the development of early computer software systems at Bell Labs.
Erna Solberg (born 1961) is a Norwegian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Norway from 2013 to 2021, becoming the second woman to hold the position in the country's history.
Erna Paris (born 1937) is a Canadian writer, novelist, and journalist, best known for her works exploring themes of human rights, genocide, and the Holocaust, including the acclaimed book "The Sun Climbs Slow: The International Criminal Court and the Struggle for Justice."
These examples illustrate the enduring presence of the name Erna across various cultures and professions, reflecting its rich historical heritage and diverse applications throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Erna by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Erna was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | #3900 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Erna
- Emily 121,621
- Ella 69,101
- Ellie 63,522
- Evie 52,944
- Emma 50,755
- Eleanor 40,576
- Elizabeth 39,225
- Erin 34,816
- Eva 29,738
- Evelyn 26,911
- Elsie 23,671
- Emilia 22,167
FAQ
Erna: questions and answers
How popular is the name Erna in the UK right now?
In 1999, Erna was ranked #3900 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Erna most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 3 babies registered as Erna in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Erna?
A feminine given name of Germanic origin meaning "vigor" or "battle".
How many people are called Erna in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Erna across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.