Bernard
Meaning
brave bear
Goes by Bernie
Famously borne by Bernard Montgomery, the field marshal who turned the desert war at El Alamein.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Bernard peaked in the 1910s and the 1950s in nearly equal measure.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
2,050 people · the #5,027 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 100,000 · median age 8
Among people named Bernard living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 2010s than in any other decade.
The census also counted 280 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Bernard
People given the name Bernard in the United States span the generations: the middle half were born anywhere from 1950 to 1989. Age is the one thing the name won't tell you.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Bernard deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Bernard truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Bernard fits with your family’s names and surname.
Where Bernard travels
Jewish American · brave as a bear; a distinctly mid-century Jewish American classic
Chinese American · brave as a bear; an early-generation classic carried by many Chinese American men
Keep exploring
Nicknames for Bernard · Jewish American baby names · Chinese American baby names · Names of generals and commanders
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