Bernard

Bernard
Pronunciation bur-NAHRD (US), BER-nəd (UK)
Gender Male
Origin
Word/Name Germanic
Meaning "Strong" or "Brave" as a bear
Region of origin Europe
Other names
Related names Bernie, Barnard, Bearnárd, Bernardo, Beñat, Bernhard, Bernhardt, Bernadette

The masculine given name Bernard is of Germanic origin.[1]

The meaning of the name is from a Germanic compound Bern-hard meaning "bear-hardy", or "brave as a bear".[2] Bern- is the old form of bear from West Germanic *beran-.[3]

St. Bernard of Menthon is the patron saint of mountaineers after whom the St. Bernard dog used in mountain rescue work is named.[4] The feminine given name from the same cognate is Bernadine or Bernadette. Nicknames include Barney (masculine), Bernie (unisex), and Bern (masculine). Bernard is also a common surname.

Contents

Uses

The following people and items share the name Bernard.

First name

Surname

Fictional characters

Companies

References

  1. ^ Albert Dauzat, Noms et prénoms de France, Librairie Larousse 1980. p. 38, New completed edition by Marie-Thérèse Morlet.
  2. ^ name="ancestry">"Name Meaning and Origin" (in English). Ancestry.com. http://www.ancestry.com/facts/day-name-meaning.ashx?fn=bernard. Retrieved 2009-08-01. 
  3. ^ T. F. Hoad, English Etymology, Oxford University Press 1993. p. 36.
  4. ^ name="ancestry"

See also