Bernard

Boy name

Bernard has been given to 201,070 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1924.

Meaning & origin /ˈbɜːnəd/

Inherited from Middle English Bernard, from Old French Bernard, Bernart, from Medieval Latin Bernardus, probably from Frankish *Bernhard (cognate with Old High German Bernhart, Old English Beornheard), from Proto-Germanic *Bernuharduz, equivalent to bear +&lrm; -ard. Popularized by medieval European saints.

Origin: Germanic languages

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

201,070

Peak year

1924 (4,524 babies)

Rank in 2025

Below top 1000

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▼ -9%

Gender split

0% girls / 100% boys

Famous people named Bernard

Bernie Sanders

United States Senator from Vermont

Bernard of Clairvaux

Burgundian saint, abbot and theologian (1090–1153)

Bernard Montgomery

British Army officer (1887–1976)

Tony Curtis

American actor (1925–2010)

Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Bernard.

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