Names That Mean Bear
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About this list
The names
Arthur
Celtic
" bear"
Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by stylish parents, inspired perhaps by the new generation of royals.…
Barrett
German
"bear strength"
Barrett is one of many surname names that are up and coming for boys in recent years. Barrett joints Bennett, Beckett, and others in the trend of "-tt" ending boy names taking over the charts.…
Arturo
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Arthur, Celtic
"bear"
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish variation of Arthur that makes the original feel more romantic and dashing.
Bjorn
Swedish, Icelandic, German
"bear"
Bjorn is one of the most recognizable Scandinavian names , thanks in large part to tennis great Björn Borg, winner of five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles and six French opens and something of a…
Bear
Animal name
"bear"
Bear has suddenly lumbered onto the baby name landscape. Perhaps inspired by British adventurer Bear Grylls (born Edward Michael), first celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used it as the middle name for his…
Bernadette
German
"brave as a bear"
Although feminizations ending in "ette" are not particularly popular now, Bernadette is a pleasant, feminine, but strong name that doesn't feel prohibitively dated. And though strongly associated…
Orson
Latin and English
"bear cub"
In the past, Orson has felt like a one-person moniker, tied to film director Orson Welles, who dropped his given name of George in favor of his more distinctive middle. While the Citizen Kane creator…
Art
Diminutive of Arthur
"noble one; bear man"
Though short and brisk, no nickname name could have a more creative image. Comic actor Chris O'Dowd named his son Art, as in his native Ireland it's used as a name on its own, separate from Arthur.,…
Bernard
German
"strong, brave as a bear"
Bernard is obviously a saint's name, but how did it get to the big, benevolent dog? The eleventh century monk, patron saint of mountain climbers, who lived in the Alps, was famed for setting up safe…
Bernie
Diminutive of Bernard, English
"strong; brave as a bear"
It's been shown that notable political figures often impact the use of their names, and the same can — sort of — be said about Bernie Sanders. His name increased in use by 47% between 2015 and 2016…
Osborn
English
"divine bear; divine warrior"
A surname style choice that could get you nicknames Bear and Ozzy, which is pretty cool. It comes from the Old English variant of the Old Norse Ásbjǫrn, which was introduced to England after the…
Bernardo
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
"strong as a bear"
This Latinate form of Bernard hovered in the lower regions of the US Top 1000 from the late 1940s until 2006, possibly inspired by the character in West Side Story . It remains popular in Portugal…
Nita
Hindi, Hebrew, and Choctaw
"friendly, to plant, and bear"
One of those slender names, like Lena or Etta, that's used in several cultures and carries a range of meanings. But by being so many things, it doesn't feel decidedly like anything.
Bernadine
German
"brave as a bear"
As dated as the old Pat Boone song.
Artie
Diminutive of Arthur, Celtic
"bear"
Artie is a cute short form rarely given on its own, unlike the more grownup Art. But for a young Arthur, it's adorable.
Ursula
Latin
"little female bear"
A saint's name with a noteworthy literary background, including uses by Shakespeare in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Much Ado About Nothing , by Ben Johnson, Walter Scott, Longfellow, D. H. Lawrence…
Orsola
Italian variation of Ursula
"little female bear"
Orsola is chic in Italy in a way that Ursula is not in the U.S. And English speakers will inevitably hear this chic, sleek name as Ursula, condemned to purgatory as the name of the hideous sea-witch…
Arthurine
Feminine form of Arthur, Celtic
"bear"
If you're looking for a girl's name that honors an ancestral Arthur, try Artis.
Orsa
Italian variation of Ursula
"little female bear"
The advantage of Orsa over the arguably-more-attractive Ursula is that it breaks the tie to the hideous she-witch of The Little Mermaid. Orsa definitely feels more ready for modern life now that…
Garcia
Spanish and Portuguese
"bear"
This evocative Spanish surname would make an unusual but lively choice for a girl.
