Bernard
Pronounced B ER0 N AA1 R D (ARPABET)
- 2 syllables
- Peaked 1924
- 145 years in use
- 1 spelling
How popular is Bernard?
Bernard is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 201,262 children — the 188th most common boys' name on record.
Its use has been broadly flat across the past two decades. Its best single year was 1924, when 4,516 children were given it.
Burnard is counted with it here, since the two are pronounced identically.
Spelling variants
These spellings sound identical to Bernard and are counted together with it, which is why the totals here are higher than a single-spelling count.
- Burnard
Nicknames
Characteristics
- 2 syllables
Phonetic detail
- Pronunciations:
- B ER0 N AA1 R D · B ER1 N ER0 D
- Stress pattern:
- 01 · 10
- Syllables:
- 2
Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.
Names like Bernard
Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.
Sibling names for Bernard
Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.
Frequently asked questions
- How popular is the name Bernard?
- Bernard ranks 188th among boys' names in US records, with 201,262 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 1,497.
- Is Bernard a unisex name?
- No. Bernard is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
- When was Bernard most popular?
- 1924, when 4,516 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.
- What are common nicknames for Bernard?
- Bernie, Barney. These are recorded as separate names in their own right, so each has its own page and its own popularity curve.
- How else is Bernard spelled?
- Burnard. All of these sound the same and are counted together in the totals on this page.