Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1960

Bernie

Meaning A unisex given name Gender Unisex · 14% girls Rank 2025 #8,352

A unisex given name. A diminutive of the male given name Bernard, also used as a formal given name.

Rank 2025
#8,352
among boys · ↓2,887 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
9
named Bernie
How common
1 in 189,786
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1960
266 babies
All-time total
10,760
#1,270 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Bernie popularity over time

10,760 babies have been named Bernie since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 72 72 7 – #555
1890s 25 99 124 12 +72% #538
1900s 67 154 221 22 +78% #512
1910s 195 594 789 79 +257% #586
1920s 264 953 1,217 122 +54% #588
1930s 246 1,280 1,526 153 +25% #469
1940s 228 1,410 1,638 164 +7% #486
1950s 304 1,505 1,809 181 +10% #531
1960s 178 1,468 1,646 165 -9% #522
1970s 28 663 691 69 -58% #861
1980s – 340 340 34 -51% #1,412
1990s – 267 267 27 -21% #2,175
2000s – 224 224 22 -16% #3,200
2010s – 113 113 11 -50% #4,641
2020s (to 2025) – 83 83 14 +22% #5,137

The story of Bernie

Bernie is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #8,352 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 10,760 American babies have been named Bernie, about 86% boys and 14% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1960, when 266 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

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 Bernie stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Bernie?

The median living Bernie is about 64 years old; half are between 52 and 73. An estimated 5,500 people named Bernie are alive in the United States today.

median 64 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Bernie 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 – – 9 #8,352
2024 – – 17 #5,465
2023 – – 9 #8,343
2022 – – 13 #6,530
2021 – – 18 #5,137
2020 – – 17 #5,270
2019 – – 6 #10,964
2018 – – 9 #8,246
2017 – – 9 #8,234
2016 – – 21 #4,641
2015 – – 11 #7,125
2014 – – 6 #10,875
2013 – – 11 #7,088
2012 – – 9 #8,232
2011 – – 12 #6,632
2010 – – 19 #4,863
2009 – – 20 #4,768
2008 – – 21 #4,557
2007 – – 11 #7,152
2006 – – 25 #3,900
2005 – – 30 #3,323
2004 – – 26 #3,544
2003 – – 29 #3,200
2002 – – 21 #3,925
2001 – – 20 #3,984
2000 – – 21 #3,781
1995 – – 21 #3,203
1990 – – 33 #2,175
1985 – – 43 #1,526
1980 – – 45 #1,412
1975 8 #6,547 60 #1,084
1970 – – 87 #861
1965 12 #3,758 119 #681
1960 35 #1,929 231 #522
1955 25 #2,159 133 #645
1950 22 #2,056 127 #607
1945 30 #1,484 128 #527
1940 22 #1,688 116 #547
1935 33 #1,246 135 #490
1930 21 #1,756 99 #618
1925 32 #1,447 101 #630
1920 20 #1,960 90 #674
1915 23 #1,526 75 #671
1910 10 #1,531 22 #625
1905 9 #1,312 18 #549
1900 11 #1,172 19 #558
1895 – – 14 #558
1890 6 #1,227 13 #538
1885 – – 5 #950
1880 – – 5 #926

Famous people named Bernie

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders American politician and activist (born 1941) Contemporary
  2. 2 Bernie Madoff Bernie Madoff American financier and con artist (1938–2021) Contemporary
  3. 3 Bernie Mac Bernie Mac American comedian and actor (1957–2008) Contemporary
  4. 4 Bernie Taupin Bernie Taupin British lyricist (born 1950) Contemporary
  5. 5 Bernie Ecclestone Bernie Ecclestone British business magnate (born 1930) Contemporary
  6. 6 Bernie Leadon Bernie Leadon American musician (born 1947) Contemporary
  7. 7 Bernie Casey Bernie Casey American football player and actor (1939–2017) Contemporary
  8. 8 Bernie Worrell Bernie Worrell American keyboardist and record producer (1944–2016) Contemporary
  9. 9 Bernie Geoffrion Bernie Geoffrion Canadian ice hockey player (1931–2006) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Bernie, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Bernie?

The median living Bernie is about 64 years old. Half of all living Bernies are between 52 and 73 years old.

How many people named Bernie are alive today?

An estimated 5,500 people named Bernie are alive in the United States, based on 10,760 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Bernie mean?

A unisex given name. A diminutive of the male given name Bernard, also used as a formal given name.

How popular is the name Bernie in 2025?

Bernie ranked #8,352 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Bernie?

10,760 babies have been named Bernie in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Bernie most popular?

Bernie peaked in 1960, when 266 newborns received the name.

Is Bernie a boy or girl name?

Bernie is used for both: about 14% of babies named Bernie have been girls and 86% boys.

Is the name Bernie rising or falling?

Bernie is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Bernie?

Well-known people named Bernie include Bernie Sanders (politician), Bernie Madoff (mafioso), Bernie Mac (comedian).

Names like Bernie

Names that sound and feel close to Bernie: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Bernie with similar names → More names starting with B →