Bernard
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
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.
Bernard is also given to girls.
Pronounced ber-NARD.
As of October 2026, Bernard ranked #1362 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #45 in 1919, Nameberry popularity #611.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,178 | 158 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #1,216 | 151 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #1,169 | 163 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #1,170 | 160 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #1,151 | 167 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #1,251 | 150 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #1,254 | 147 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #1,307 | 143 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #1,295 | 147 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #1,472 | 122 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #1,318 | 147 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #1,362 | 137 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Bernard for boys
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Bernard.
Bernard on lists
Famous Bernards
- Saint Bernard of ClairvauxBoy
French abbot
- Bernard HerrmannBoy
American film composer
- BernardBoy
Germain,Étienne de La Ville,sur,Illon de Lacépède, French naturalist
- (George) Bernard ShawBoy
Irish playwright
- Bernard Charles "Bernie" EcclestoneBoy
British business magnate
- Bernard "Bernie" SandersBoy
U.S. Senator from Vermont
- Bernard CribbinsBoy
English actor
- Bernard FoxBoy
Welsh actor
- Bernard Freeman aka Bun BBoy
American rapper
- Bernard MontgomeryBoy
1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, British field marshal
- Bernard FreybergBoy
7th Governor,General of New Zealand
- Bernard TomicBoy
Australian tennis player
- Bernard CornwellBoy
English novelist
- Bernard Pyne GrenfellBoy
English Egyptologist
- Bernard HillBoy
American actor
- Bernard PierceBoy
American football player
- Bernard PollardBoy
American football player
- Bernard ScottBoy
American football player
- Bernard MadoffBoy
American Ponzi schemer
- Bernard HamptonBoy
entrepreneur
- Bernard AshleyBoy
founder of Laura Ashley design
- Bernard Moon O’Sullivan (b. 2018)Boy
son of actress Bridget Regan
- Bernard 'Barney' SumnerBoy
English musician (New Order)
- Bernard 'Berni' FlintBoy
English singer
- Bernard 'Bernie' CalvertBoy
English bass player (The Hollies)
Bernard in pop culture
- BernardBoy
a mouse in Disney's "The Rescuers"
- BernardBoy
main character in the children's TV series "Bernard's Watch"
- BernardBoy
the head elf in "The Santa Clause" movies
- Bernard BlackBoy
character from British TV series "Black Books"
- Bernard BlighBoy
character in "Small Island"
- Bernard "Barney" FifeBoy
character on "The Andy Griffith Show"
- Bernard "Beans" ArangurenBoy
character on TV series "Even Stevens"
- BernardBoy
main character in short story "Last Shot" by Justine Avery
- Bernard "Bernie" SchotzBoy
character on TV's "Bizaardvark"
- Saint BernardBoy
breed of large dog
- Abbot BernardBoy
a character in Brian Jacques' "Mariel of Redwall"