Bernadette
A girls’ name of Germanic origin, meaning brave as a bear; feminine form of Bernard.
Bernadette by the numbers
In 2025, 17 babies in England and Wales were named Bernadette. In the US, 175 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given noticeably more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 1,494 babies in 1958, so it is a 1950s name that has since fallen a long way.
Other names that come from Bernard
Like Bernadette, each of these traces back to Bernard: a form of it, a name built from it, or a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Bernardbrave bear; strong as a bear42 in England and Wales (2025)
- Bernardobrave bear; a form of Bernard125 in the US (2017)
- Benardbear brave; a form of Bernard6 in the US (2017)
- Bernardinobrave as a bear; diminutive form of Bernard5 in the US (2017)
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Bernadette. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
Other names that mean a bear
Like Bernadette, each of these has a bear in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Atlasto bear, endure; the Titan355 in England and Wales (2025)
- Sahanapatient; forbearing; easy to bear136 in the US (2017)
- Ursulalittle bear33 in the US (2017)
- Berniebrave bear; diminutive of Bernard26 in England and Wales (2025)
- Berla form of Berel, meaning bear15 in the US (2017)
- Osadivine bear11 in the US (2017)
Other names that mean courage
Like Bernadette, each of these has courage in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Rileyvaliant; rye clearing7,797 in the US (2017)
- Emersonson of Emery, brave power3,275 in the US (2017)
- Emerybrave, powerful; industrious ruler2,983 in the US (2017)
- Valeriastrong and valiant; feminine form of Valerius1,887 in the US (2017)
- Emersynson of Emery, brave power; a modern respelling of Emerson1,331 in the US (2017)
- Emorybrave power; from a surname740 in the US (2017)
Names about as common as Bernadette
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