Bernadette
Bernadette is a girl's name of French origin.
Meaning
Brave as a bear.
Origin and history
Bernadette is a French feminine diminutive form of Bernard, derived from Germanic elements meaning brave bear. It gained wide international recognition in the 19th century following the visions of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes. In the United States, it enjoyed steady usage through the mid-20th century and remains a classic, recognizable choice today.
Popularity in the United States
54,973 babies in the United States have been named Bernadette since 1880. It ranks #549 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1119.
States where it is most popular
- NY (16.8 %)
- PA (14.3 %)
- CA (9.4 %)
- IL (6.8 %)
- NJ (6.2 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 93 |
| 1890-1900 | 348 |
| 1900-1910 | 598 |
| 1910-1920 | 2,078 |
| 1920-1930 | 3,533 |
| 1930-1940 | 3,772 |
| 1940-1950 | 8,631 |
| 1950-1960 | 10,701 |
| 1960-1970 | 10,719 |
| 1970-1980 | 5,887 |
| 1980-1990 | 3,271 |
| 1990-2000 | 1,980 |
| 2000-2010 | 946 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,259 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,157 |
Famous people named Bernadette
- Bernadette Peters: Actress, Singer
- Bernadette Devlin: Politician, Activist
Nicknames
Bernie, Berny, Detty, Etta
Fun facts
- The popularity of the name expanded globally after Bernadette Soubirous witnessed visions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes, France, in 1858.
- The name reached a new generation of audiences through prominent fictional characters, such as Bernadette Rostenkowski on The Big Bang Theory.