Bernard
About Bernard
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 houses for pilgrims on their way to Rome over the treacherous St. Bernard Pass, and the canine breed, also used to rescue people in treacherous conditions, was named for him.
Over the years, though, the name has taken on a highly intellectual image, losing most of that old Alpine energy. There were lots of little Bernies in the early decades of the twentieth century; Bernard reached as high as Number 45 in 1921.
And the name does have some cultural cred, via playwright (George) Bernard Shaw, seminal art historian Bernard Berenson, and novelist Bernard Malamud. And let's not forget that 2016 and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders's first name is Bernard as well.
As of October 2026, Bernard ranked #1362 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #45 in 1919, Nameberry popularity #573.
Editor's take: The name Bernard is a boy's name of German origin meaning "strong, brave as a bear".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,178 | 158 | 82.3 |
| 2015 | #1,216 | 151 | 78.8 |
| 2016 | #1,169 | 163 | 85.9 |
| 2017 | #1,170 | 160 | 86.4 |
| 2018 | #1,151 | 167 | 92 |
| 2019 | #1,251 | 150 | 83.6 |
| 2020 | #1,254 | 147 | 85.2 |
| 2021 | #1,307 | 143 | 81.7 |
| 2022 | #1,295 | 147 | 84.2 |
| 2023 | #1,472 | 122 | 71.3 |
| 2024 | #1,318 | 147 | 85.3 |
| 2025 | #1,362 | 137 | 80.2 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Bernard.
- Gilbert
- Harold
- Clarence
- Ralph
- Leonard
- Howard
- Eugene
- Arnold
- Seymour
- Edgar
- Clifford
- Archibald
- Wilfred
- Fred
- Herbert
- Oswald
- Reginald
- Ernest
- Roger
- Humphrey
Bernard on lists
Famous Bernards
- Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
French abbot
- Bernard Herrmann
American film composer
- Bernard
Germain,Étienne de La Ville,sur,Illon de Lacépède, French naturalist
- (George) Bernard Shaw
Irish playwright
- Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone
British business magnate
- Bernard "Bernie" Sanders
U.S. Senator from Vermont
- Bernard Cribbins
English actor
- Bernard Fox
Welsh actor
- Bernard Freeman aka Bun B
American rapper
- Bernard Montgomery
1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, British field marshal
- Bernard Freyberg
7th Governor,General of New Zealand
- Bernard Tomic
Australian tennis player
- Bernard Cornwell
English novelist
- Bernard Pyne Grenfell
English Egyptologist
- Bernard Hill
American actor
- Bernard Pierce
American football player
- Bernard Pollard
American football player
- Bernard Scott
American football player
- Bernard Madoff
American Ponzi schemer
- Bernard Hampton
entrepreneur
- Bernard Ashley
founder of Laura Ashley design
- Bernard Moon O’Sullivan (b. 2018)
son of actress Bridget Regan
- Bernard 'Barney' Sumner
English musician (New Order)
- Bernard 'Berni' Flint
English singer
- Bernard 'Bernie' Calvert
English bass player (The Hollies)
Bernard in pop culture
- Bernard
a mouse in Disney's "The Rescuers"
- Bernard
main character in the children's TV series "Bernard's Watch"
- Bernard
the head elf in "The Santa Clause" movies
- Bernard Black
character from British TV series "Black Books"
- Bernard Bligh
character in "Small Island"
- Bernard "Barney" Fife
character on "The Andy Griffith Show"
- Bernard "Beans" Aranguren
character on TV series "Even Stevens"
- Bernard
main character in short story "Last Shot" by Justine Avery
- Bernard "Bernie" Schotz
character on TV's "Bizaardvark"
- Saint Bernard
breed of large dog
- Abbot Bernard
a character in Brian Jacques' "Mariel of Redwall"
Variations & nicknames
- BernhartGerman
- BernardinoSpanish
- BernalSpanish
- BernardelSpanish
- BernhardtGerman
- BernoCzech
- BernekCzech
- BernhardGerman
- BernardynPolish
- BernatCatalan
- NardoSpanish
- BearnardGaelic
- BernotFrench
- BenekPolish
- BerendGerman
- BernadinoItalian
- BerntScandinavian
- VernadosGreek
- BernardoSpanish
- BeñatBasque
- BenoGerman
- BerngardsRussian
- BernarditoSpanish
- BernardinFrench
- BernonFrench
More nicknames
- Bernie