Etymology

bernard

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Today it means: Shortened form of Saint Bernard (the dog). Full definition →

Middle English Bernard ← Old French Bernard ← Medieval Latin Bernardus
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The story

  1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*Bernuharduz
  2. Frankish · derived from*Bernhard
  3. Medieval Latin · derived fromBernardus
  4. Old French · derived fromBernard
  5. Middle English · inherited fromBernard
  6. English todayBernard

Inherited from Middle English Bernard, from Old French Bernard, Bernart, from Medieval Latin Bernardus, probably from Frankish *Bernhard (cognate with Old High German Bernhart, Old English Beornheard), from Proto-Germanic *Bernuharduz, equivalent to bear + -ard. Popularized by medieval European saints.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.