Bernard
Inherited from Middle English Bernard, from Old French Bernard, Bernart, from Medieval Latin Bernardus, probably from Frankish *Bernhard (cognate with Old High German…
Every Bernard since 1880 — 201,070 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bernard
Bernard is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,362 in 2025 with 137 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 201,070 American babies have been named Bernard. Its peak came in 1924, when 4,524 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Bernard stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bernard 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 | — | — | 137 | #1,362 |
| 2024 | — | — | 147 | #1,318 |
| 2023 | — | — | 122 | #1,473 |
| 2022 | — | — | 148 | #1,290 |
| 2021 | — | — | 143 | #1,308 |
| 2020 | — | — | 148 | #1,250 |
| 2019 | — | — | 150 | #1,251 |
| 2018 | — | — | 168 | #1,142 |
| 2017 | — | — | 160 | #1,171 |
| 2016 | — | — | 163 | #1,169 |
| 2015 | — | — | 151 | #1,216 |
| 2014 | — | — | 158 | #1,179 |
| 2013 | — | — | 168 | #1,100 |
| 2012 | — | — | 150 | #1,195 |
| 2011 | — | — | 168 | #1,102 |
| 2010 | — | — | 172 | #1,108 |
| 2009 | — | — | 189 | #1,027 |
| 2008 | — | — | 214 | #944 |
| 2007 | — | — | 212 | #934 |
| 2006 | — | — | 194 | #958 |
| 2005 | — | — | 223 | #832 |
| 2004 | — | — | 238 | #765 |
| 2003 | — | — | 220 | #791 |
| 2002 | — | — | 226 | #762 |
| 2001 | — | — | 261 | #689 |
| 2000 | — | — | 275 | #656 |
| 1995 | — | — | 431 | #496 |
| 1990 | — | — | 516 | #430 |
| 1985 | 7 | #8,428 | 653 | #312 |
| 1980 | — | — | 769 | #274 |
| 1975 | 10 | #5,557 | 847 | #242 |
| 1970 | 11 | #4,779 | 1,186 | #210 |
| 1965 | 6 | #5,865 | 1,675 | #170 |
| 1960 | 11 | #3,935 | 2,302 | #152 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,265 | 2,560 | #127 |
| 1950 | 12 | #3,068 | 2,636 | #110 |
| 1945 | 16 | #2,157 | 2,388 | #98 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,534 | 2,468 | #82 |
| 1935 | 9 | #2,947 | 2,933 | #67 |
| 1930 | 24 | #1,618 | 3,831 | #52 |
| 1925 | 24 | #1,753 | 4,259 | #48 |
| 1920 | 28 | #1,554 | 4,163 | #46 |
| 1915 | 20 | #1,685 | 3,302 | #48 |
| 1910 | 5 | #2,450 | 560 | #62 |
| 1905 | — | — | 292 | #82 |
| 1900 | — | — | 308 | #86 |
| 1895 | — | — | 259 | #77 |
| 1890 | — | — | 178 | #98 |
| 1885 | — | — | 160 | #91 |
| 1880 | — | — | 140 | #97 |
Famous people named Bernard
- Bernard of Clairvaux Religious figure · 1090–1153
- Bernard Montgomery Military personnel · 1887–1976
- Bernard Arnault Businessperson · b. 1949
- Bernard Bolzano Philosopher · 1781–1848
- Bernard Gui Writer · 1261–1331
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bernard mean?
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…
How popular is the name Bernard in 2025?
Bernard ranked #1,362 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 137 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bernard?
201,070 babies have been named Bernard in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bernard most popular?
Bernard peaked in 1924, when 4,524 newborns received the name.
Is Bernard a boy or girl name?
Bernard is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bernard rising or falling?
Bernard has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Bernard?
Well-known people named Bernard include Bernard of Clairvaux (religious figure), Bernard Montgomery (military personnel), Bernard Arnault (businessperson).