Bernadette
From French Bernadette, made famous by St. Bernadette of Lourdes.
Every Bernadette since 1880 — 55,033 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bernadette
Bernadette is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,034 in 2025 with 241 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 55,033 American babies have been named Bernadette. Its peak came in 1958, when 1,494 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bernadette stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bernadette year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 241 | #1,034 | — | — |
| 2024 | 187 | #1,244 | — | — |
| 2023 | 189 | #1,237 | — | — |
| 2022 | 182 | #1,296 | — | — |
| 2021 | 208 | #1,175 | — | — |
| 2020 | 150 | #1,445 | — | — |
| 2019 | 139 | #1,549 | — | — |
| 2018 | 181 | #1,271 | — | — |
| 2017 | 177 | #1,318 | — | — |
| 2016 | 148 | #1,526 | — | — |
| 2015 | 155 | #1,479 | — | — |
| 2014 | 134 | #1,604 | — | — |
| 2013 | 95 | #2,035 | — | — |
| 2012 | 88 | #2,149 | — | — |
| 2011 | 63 | #2,773 | — | — |
| 2010 | 79 | #2,388 | — | — |
| 2009 | 77 | #2,467 | — | — |
| 2008 | 78 | #2,444 | — | — |
| 2007 | 74 | #2,516 | — | — |
| 2006 | 95 | #2,070 | — | — |
| 2005 | 91 | #2,062 | — | — |
| 2004 | 96 | #1,945 | — | — |
| 2003 | 99 | #1,860 | — | — |
| 2002 | 101 | #1,781 | — | — |
| 2001 | 125 | #1,499 | — | — |
| 2000 | 110 | #1,603 | — | — |
| 1995 | 174 | #1,039 | — | — |
| 1990 | 281 | #739 | — | — |
| 1985 | 268 | #673 | — | — |
| 1980 | 434 | #484 | — | — |
| 1975 | 545 | #381 | — | — |
| 1970 | 775 | #340 | — | — |
| 1965 | 911 | #292 | — | — |
| 1960 | 1,424 | #226 | — | — |
| 1955 | 960 | #278 | — | — |
| 1950 | 1,043 | #233 | — | — |
| 1945 | 1,016 | #196 | — | — |
| 1940 | 323 | #364 | — | — |
| 1935 | 395 | #315 | — | — |
| 1930 | 323 | #379 | — | — |
| 1925 | 363 | #359 | — | — |
| 1920 | 330 | #360 | — | — |
| 1915 | 256 | #378 | — | — |
| 1910 | 96 | #402 | — | — |
| 1905 | 46 | #498 | — | — |
| 1900 | 47 | #495 | — | — |
| 1895 | 40 | #456 | — | — |
| 1890 | 20 | #581 | — | — |
| 1885 | 7 | #852 | — | — |
| 1880 | 8 | #634 | — | — |
Famous people named Bernadette
- Bernadette Soubirous Religious figure · 1844–1879
- Bernadette Lafont Actor · 1938–2013
- Bernadette Chirac Companion · b. 1933
- Bernadette Peters Actor · b. 1948
- Bernadette Devlin McAliskey Politician · b. 1947
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bernadette mean?
From French Bernadette, made famous by St. Bernadette of Lourdes.
How popular is the name Bernadette in 2025?
Bernadette ranked #1,034 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 241 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bernadette?
55,033 babies have been named Bernadette in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bernadette most popular?
Bernadette peaked in 1958, when 1,494 newborns received the name.
Is Bernadette a boy or girl name?
Bernadette is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bernadette rising or falling?
Bernadette is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Bernadette?
Well-known people named Bernadette include Bernadette Soubirous (religious figure), Bernadette Lafont (actor), Bernadette Chirac (companion).