- published: 21 Jan 2014
- views: 6034155
The masculine given name Bernard is of Germanic origin.
The meaning of the name is from a Germanic compound Bern-hard meaning "bear-hardy", or "brave as a bear".Bern- is the old form of bear from West Germanic *beran-.
St. Bernard of Menthon is the patron saint of mountaineers after whom the St. Bernard dog used in mountain rescue work is named. The feminine given name from the same cognate is Bernadine or Bernadette. Nicknames include Barney (masculine), Bernie (unisex), and Bern (masculine). Bernard is also a common surname.
The following people and items share the name Bernard.