Bernard Name Meaning, Origin & Gender

Bernard Name at a Glance

Name	Bernard
Meaning	From an Old German compound meaning bear-hard, or brave as a bear. St Bernard of Menthon is the patron saint of mountaineers after whom the St Bernard dog used in mountain rescue work is named.
Origin	German
Gender	Boy

What Does the Name Bernard Mean?

According to the information recorded in our baby name database, Bernard means “From an Old German compound meaning bear-hard, or brave as a bear. St Bernard of Menthon is the patron saint of mountaineers after whom the St Bernard dog used in mountain rescue work is named”. Name meanings can vary between languages, regions and naming traditions, so families may also wish to confirm a meaning within the cultural or linguistic context that matters to them.

Bernard Name Origin

Our database records Bernard under German origin. Browse more German baby names to compare other names in the same origin collection.

Is Bernard a Boy or Girl Name?

In our database, Bernard is listed as a boy name. Usage can differ across countries, languages and families.

Choosing the Name Bernard

When considering Bernard for a baby, you may want to compare its recorded meaning and origin with family traditions, pronunciation, spelling, initials, middle names and how the full name sounds with the family name.