Bernard

Bernard (Bernhard) is a West Germanic masculine given name.[2]

This article is about the name. For other uses, see Bernard (disambiguation).
Bernard
Pronunciationmainly UK: /ˈbɜːrnərd/ or /ˈbɜːrnəd/
mainly US: /bərˈnɑːrd/[1]
French: [bɛʁ.naʁ]
Dutch: [ˈbɛrnɑrt]
Gendermasculine
Origin
Word/nameWest Germanic
Meaningsupreme
Region of originmedieval Europe
Other names
Related namesBernie, Barnard, Bernardas, Bearnárd, Bernardo, Beñat, Bernhard, Bernhardt, Bernd, Bernadette, Berend

The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic Bernhard is composed from the two elements bern "bear" and hard "brave, hardy".[3] Its native Old English reflex was Beornheard, which was replaced by the Old French form Bernard after the Norman conquest. The name Bernhard was notably popular among Old Frisian speakers.[4] Its wider use was popularized due to Saint Bernhard of Clairvaux (canonized 1174).

Geographical distribution

As of 2014, 42.2% of all known bearers of the surname Bernard were residents of France (frequency 1:392), 12.5% of the United States (1:7,203), 7.0% of Haiti (1:382), 6.6% of Tanzania (1:1,961), 4.8% of Canada (1:1,896), 3.6% of Nigeria (1:12,221), 2.7% of Burundi (1:894), 1.9% of Belgium (1:1,500), 1.6% of Rwanda (1:1,745), 1.2% of Germany (1:16,397), 1.2% of Jamaica (1:595), 1.1% of Ghana (1:6,179), 1.0% of England (1:13,691) and 1.0% of Madagascar (1:6,098).

In France, the frequency of the surname was higher than national average (1:392) in the following regions:[5]

List of people with the name

The following people and items share the name Bernard.

Given name

Catholic saints
  • Saint Bernard: see Saint Bernard (disambiguation)#People

Medieval

Modern

Surname

Fictional characters

Given name
  • Bernard (TV shorts), the curious polar bear from the animation series Bernard[6]
  • Bernard, a character from Blackadder II, who is usually only called by her title: Nursie
  • Bernard, a character from Megamind
  • Bernard, a character from The Waves
  • Bernard, a mouse from The Rescuers books and films
  • Bernard, the Sea Hag's pet vulture in the Popeye comics/cartoons
  • Bernarda Alba, the mother in Federico García Lorca's drama, La casa de Bernarda Alba
  • Bernard Beasley, a character from the children's programme Bernard's Watch
  • Bernard Bernoulli, a character from Maniac Mansion
  • Bernard Black, a character from Black Books
  • Bernard "Barney" Fife, deputy sheriff of Mayberry from The Andy Griffith Show
  • Bernard Lowe, a character from Westworld
  • Bernard Marx from Brave New World
  • Bernard Nadler, a character from the television show Lost
  • Bernard the Arch-elf, The Head elf from Disney's Santa Clause Movies
  • Bernard the Bee Boy, a boy raised by bees seen in two commercials for Honey Comb cereal
  • Bernard Wiseman, a character from Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket
  • Bernard Woolley, a character from Yes Minister
  • Bernard Mickey Wrangle, an explosive character from Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins
  • Bernardo, Zorro's companion
  • Giant Bernard, wrestling name of Matt Bloom

Surname
  • Andy Bernard, character on the United States television series The Office

See also

References
  1. Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  2. Albert Dauzat, Noms et prénoms de France, Librairie Larousse 1980. p. 38, New completed edition by Marie-Thérèse Morlet.
  3. "Name Meaning and Origin". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 2013-06-16.. T. F. Hoad, English Etymology, Oxford University Press 1993. p. 36.
  4. Die Kosenamen der Germanen: Eine Studie, Franz Stark, 1868 (German)
  5. Bernard surname distribution
  6. Bernard (TV series)
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