The masculine given name Bernard is of Germanic origin.
The meaning of the name is from a Germanic compound Bern-hard meaning "bear-hardy", or "brave as a bear". Bern- is the old form of bear from West Germanic *beran-.
St. Bernard of Menthon is the patron saint of mountaineers after whom the St. Bernard dog used in mountain rescue work is named. The feminine given name from the same cognate is Bernadine or Bernadette. Nicknames include Barney (masculine), Bernie (unisex), and Bern (masculine). Bernard is also a common surname.
Famous quotes containing the word bernard:
“The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she’s treated.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
“A book is like a child: it is easier to bring it into the world than to control it when it is launched there.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
“I am a Christian. That obliges me to be a Communist.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)