Meanings
bernard1
Bernard2
alternative Barnard
- A male given name from the Germanic languages.
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 - A surname originating as a patronymic.
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*Bernuharduz
- Frankish*Bernhard
- Medieval LatinBernardus
- Old FrenchBernard
- Middle EnglishBernard
- 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.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Basque Beñat
- Beñatmale given name
Bengali বার্নার্ড
- বার্নার্ড (barnarḍo)male given name
Catalan Bernat
- Bernatmale given name
Chinese Cantonese 班拿特
- 班拿特 (baan¹ naa⁴ dak⁶)male given name
Chinese Mandarin 伯納德 /伯纳德, 伯爾納鐸 /伯尔纳铎
- 伯納德 /伯纳德 (Bónàdé)male given name
- 伯爾納鐸 /伯尔纳铎 (Bó'ěrnàduó)male given name
Czech Bernard
- Bernardmale given name
Danish Bernhard, Bernt
- Bernhardmale given name
- Berntmale given name
Dutch Bernaart
- Bernaartmale given name
Esperanto Bernardo
- Bernardomale given name
French Bernard
- Bernardmale given name
German Bernhard, Bernd
- Bernhardmale given name
- Berndmale given name
Greek Βερνάρδος
- Βερνάρδος (Vernárdos)male given name
Hungarian Bernát
- Bernátmale given name
Icelandic Bernharður
- Bernharðurmale given name
Irish Bearnárd
- Bearnárdmale given name
Italian Bernardo
- Bernardomale given name
Latin Bernardus
- Bernardusmale given name
Māori Perenata
- Perenatamale given name
Norwegian Bokmål Bernhard, Bernt
- Bernhardmale given name
- Berntmale given name
Polish Bernard
- Bernardmale given name
Portuguese Bernardo
- Bernardomale given name
Russian Берна́рд
- Берна́рд (Bernárd)male given name
Spanish Bernardo
- Bernardomale given name
Swedish Bernhard
- Bernhardmale given name
Vietnamese Bênađô
- Bênađômale given name
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
bernard. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bernard
“bernard.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bernard. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bernard,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bernard.
Source: bernard on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.