Bernard

Updated: December 17, 2021 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Bernard is a vintage classic baby boy’s name that means “strong or brave as a bear”. Bernard was in the top 100 baby boy names for most of the first half of the 20th century, although it has fallen in popularity since. Bernard is a strong name with a vintage sound that has the potential to return to popularity alongside other early 20th-century classics.

Meaning of the name Bernard:

German: strong or brave as a bear

Origin of the name Bernard:

Bernard is a baby boy’s name of German origin that means “strong or brave as a bear”. It is derived from the Germanic terms “bern” meaning “bear” and “hard” meaning “brave, hardy”.

Symbolism of the name Bernard:

Bears have been important symbols in many cultures and religions around the world. They are symbols of bravery, power, strength, and wisdom.

Style of the name Bernard:

traditional

Gender of the name Bernard:

Bernard is a boy's name.

Pronunciation of the name Bernard:

bər-NAHRD (American English), BU-nəd (British English), BEHR-NAR (French), BEHR-nahrt (Dutch), BEHR-nart (Polish, Croatian, Czech)

Number of syllables in the name Bernard:

two

Emotion evoked from the name Bernard:

Bernard evokes feelings of maturity and strength.

Alternative spellings for the name Bernard:

Berard, Berinhard, Bernhard, Barnard

Nicknames for the name Bernard:

Bernie
Barney
Bern
Bear

Popularity of the name Bernard:

According to the Social Security Administration, Bernard is a popular baby boy’s name. Bernard was in the top 1000 names from 1900 to 2008. It was in the top 100 from 1900 until 1945 and it peaked at #45 in 1921.