bernard

What it means

1. Shortened form of Saint Bernard (the dog).

In a sentence

A similar arrangement was made for her son Bernard, named in honor of the great Carthusian mystic (at least, that is what Jim Gaffney would softly tell Mrs. Kozinski) and of Bernie Astor, the publicist.

1992, Thomas Keneally, Woman of the Inner Sea, Plume, published 1994, →ISBN, pages 18–19

Where it comes from

1. Proto-Germanic*Bernuharduz
2. Frankish*Bernhard
3. Medieval LatinBernardus
4. Old FrenchBernard
5. Middle EnglishBernard
6. EnglishBernard

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.