Bernadette

Ber·na·dette
B3E1R1N1A1D2E1T1T1E1
UK/ˌbɜː.nəˈdɛt/US/ˌbɜɹ.nəˈdɛt/

proper noun

A female given name from French.

Less commonScrabble 13

Meanings

proper noun
  1. A female given name from French.
    2 more examples

    Bernadette Woolley was aware that her name was professionally inappropriate. She tended to get a lot of jokes about it. There had even been recommendations that she change it. The pious connotations put men off, it was averred. Non-Catholics recognised her allegiance at once because of the label, and scorned her for it; while co-religionists, reminded inappropriately of the Virgin apparition at Lourdes, blushed, or sniggered, or asked for another girl.

    1983, A. N. Wilson, Scandal: or Priscilla's Kindness, Penguin, published 1985, →ISBN, page 1

    As they walked farther along the concourse, Bernadette said, "You call me Bernadette. Aunt won't be necessary. And I don't like Bernie. Or Aunt Bernie or Auntie. For a while, when I was twelve, I wanted everyone to call me Detta. No reason except that I was twelve and trying to fit whatever name sounded more glamorous than Bernadette. I like to be called Bernadette. I've become my name."

    1995, E. L. Konigsburg, T-Backs, T-Shirts, Coat, and Suit, Simon & Schuster, published 2008, →ISBN, page 13

Origin

  1. FrenchBernadette
  2. EnglishBernadette

From French Bernadette, made famous by St. Bernadette of Lourdes.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French Bernadette
  • Bernadettefemale given name
German Bernadette
  • Bernadettefemale given name
Italian Bernadetta
  • Bernadettafemale given name
Polish Bernadeta
  • Bernadetafemale given name
Portuguese Bernadete, Bernardete
  • Bernadetefemale given name
  • Bernardetefemale given name

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with Bernadette

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

Bernadette. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bernadette

MLA

“Bernadette.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bernadette. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Bernadette,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bernadette.

Source: Bernadette on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.