Bernard Name Meaning, Popularity and Origins
Origin:
German
Gender Distribution:
100% Masculine / 0% Feminine
Meaning:
Bernard means 'brave as a bear' or 'strong bear'
Meaning of the Name Bernard
The name Bernard is of Germanic origin and is derived from the elements 'ber(n)', which means 'bear', and 'hard', which means 'brave' or 'strong'. Therefore, the name Bernard can be interpreted as 'brave as a bear' or 'strong bear'. In Germanic mythology, the bear was seen as a symbol of strength and courage.
Popularity of the Name Bernard
The popularity for the name Bernard peaked in popularity in the year 1924 with 4,505 births, which ranked number 106 out of 9,733 unique names for that year. Bernard had the most female births in 1927 with 34, which ranked number 1,384 out of 5,602 female names for that year, and had the most male births in 1924 with 4,505, which ranked number 46 out of 4,970 male names for that year. The number of births for the name Bernard has remained flat over the last ten years from 150 births to 147 births, a decline of -2.00%. Among males, Bernard has remained flat in popularity over the last ten years from 150 births to 147 births, a decline of -2.00%.
Nationwide Popularity of Bernard
- 20 Year Trend of Bernard: -34.96%
- 10 Year Trend of Bernard: -2.00%
- 10 Year Male Trend of Bernard: -2.00%
Popularity of Bernard by State
For males, Bernard was most popular in Midwestern states with 27 births in the region. It was most commonly seen in NY, with 13 male births. See below for a full state by state breakdown of the name Bernard. States with less than five births recorded will not be shown.
| State | Male Births | Male Gender Rank | Female Births | Female Gender Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 8 | 1864 | < 5 | N/A |
| FL | 6 | 1602 | < 5 | N/A |
| GA | 7 | 1101 | < 5 | N/A |
| IL | 8 | 953 | < 5 | N/A |
| IN | 5 | 946 | < 5 | N/A |
| LA | 5 | 805 | < 5 | N/A |
| MO | 5 | 862 | < 5 | N/A |
| NJ | 6 | 904 | < 5 | N/A |
| NY | 13 | 927 | < 5 | N/A |
| OH | 9 | 848 | < 5 | N/A |
| PA | 7 | 992 | < 5 | N/A |
| TX | 7 | 2125 | < 5 | N/A |
| VA | 7 | 848 | < 5 | N/A |
| WA | 5 | 994 | < 5 | N/A |
2024 Popularity Projections for Bernard
- Total Births of Bernard: 147 (-0.20%)
- Male Births of Bernard: 147 (-0.20%)
Given the downward trend of Bernard over the last 10 years, we expect this to continue in 2024 with roughly a -0.20% decrease in total births, for a total of 147 births in 2024. Male births for Bernard have been decreasing over the past decade, so we anticipate roughly 147 male births in 2024, a decrease of -0.20%.