Bernadette Girl

Popularity: #709 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ber-nah-DET //ˌbɜrnəˈdɛt//

Origin: French; German

Meaning: French: brave as a bear; German: strong as a bear

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Bernadette has its roots in the Germanic elements "ber" meaning "bear" and "hard" meaning "brave" or "strong." It is derived from the Old High German name "Bernhard," which evolved into the feminine form "Bernadette" in the 19th century, particularly through the influence of French culture. The name entered the English language primarily through the popularity of Saint Bernadette Soubirous, a French girl who reported visions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes in 1858, which significantly contributed to the name's recognition and use in English-speaking countries.

Historically, Bernadette has been associated with various cultural and religious milestones. The most notable figure is Saint Bernadette, canonized in 1933, whose life and experiences have inspired numerous works of art, literature, and religious devotion.

The apparitions at Lourdes have led to the site becoming a major pilgrimage destination, further embedding the name in Christian tradition. The name gained traction in the context of Catholicism, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries, as the story of Lourdes spread across Europe and beyond.

Culturally, Bernadette symbolizes faith, resilience, and the power of personal conviction. The name has been embraced in various forms of artistic expression, including literature and film, often embodying themes of spirituality and hope.

The diminutive form "Bernie" has also emerged, reflecting a more informal and affectionate usage, although it is less commonly associated with the historical and religious significance of the full name. Overall, Bernadette carries a rich tapestry of linguistic heritage and cultural resonance, rooted deeply in both Germanic and French traditions.

Famous people named Bernadette

In this section, you will find notable people named Bernadette. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Bernadette who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Bernadette who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Bernadette Peters is an actress and singer best known for The Jerk, Annie Get Your Gun, and Into the Woods.

Bernadette Chirac is a French philanthropist best known for her work with the Fondation Claude Pompidou and her involvement in various charitable activities.

Fictional characters named Bernadette

The following list of fictional characters named Bernadette is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz is a fictional character from the TV show The Big Bang Theory. She is a microbiologist and the wife of Howard Wolowitz, known for her strong personality and career success.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Bernadette, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

BeatriceBenedictBiancaBridgetBethanyBlythe

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Bernadette. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

BerniceBrianaBerylBrennaBrielleBettinaBereniceBeren

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Bernadette was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Bernadette has ranked as high as #403 nationally, which occurred in 1958, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, and New Jersey.

In the past 5 years the name Bernadette has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Bernadette is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Bernadette was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Bernadette.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 241 0 241
2024 187 0 187
2023 189 0 189
2022 182 0 182
2021 208 0 208
2020 150 0 150
2019 139 0 139
2018 181 0 181
2017 177 0 177
2016 148 0 148
2015 155 0 155
2014 134 0 134
2013 95 0 95
2012 88 0 88
2011 63 0 63
2010 79 0 79
2009 77 0 77
2008 78 0 78
2007 74 0 74
2006 95 0 95
2005 91 0 91
2004 96 0 96
2003 99 0 99
2002 101 0 101
2001 125 0 125
2000 110 0 110
1999 151 0 151
1998 174 0 174
1997 158 0 158
1996 170 0 170
1995 174 0 174
1994 185 0 185
1993 215 0 215
1992 235 0 235
1991 237 0 237
1990 281 0 281
1989 235 0 235
1988 270 0 270
1987 288 0 288
1986 274 0 274
1985 268 0 268
1984 321 0 321
1983 370 5 365
1982 436 0 436
1981 380 0 380
1980 434 0 434
1979 461 0 461
1978 462 0 462
1977 559 7 552
1976 538 0 538
1975 545 0 545
1974 571 0 571
1973 612 6 606
1972 637 0 637
1971 747 7 740
1970 775 0 775
1969 842 6 836
1968 922 0 922
1967 1,225 8 1,217
1966 1,116 5 1,111
1965 911 0 911
1964 940 6 934
1963 1,025 5 1,020
1962 1,141 5 1,136
1961 1,208 0 1,208
1960 1,424 0 1,424
1959 1,392 0 1,392
1958 1,494 0 1,494
1957 989 0 989
1956 927 0 927
1955 960 0 960
1954 999 0 999
1953 912 0 912
1952 995 0 995
1951 990 0 990
1950 1,043 0 1,043
1949 1,141 0 1,141
1948 1,185 0 1,185
1947 1,253 0 1,253
1946 1,321 0 1,321
1945 1,016 0 1,016
1944 1,035 0 1,035
1943 655 0 655
1942 373 0 373
1941 329 0 329
1940 323 0 323
1939 353 0 353
1938 367 0 367
1937 336 0 336
1936 382 0 382
1935 395 0 395
1934 619 0 619
1933 394 0 394
1932 315 0 315
1931 288 0 288
1930 323 0 323
1929 328 0 328
1928 371 0 371
1927 372 0 372
1926 368 0 368
1925 363 0 363
1924 347 0 347
1923 359 0 359
1922 339 0 339
1921 356 0 356
1920 330 0 330
1919 303 0 303
1918 283 0 283
1917 269 0 269
1916 253 0 253
1915 256 0 256
1914 201 0 201
1913 183 0 183
1912 142 0 142
1911 92 0 92
1910 96 0 96
1909 93 0 93
1908 95 0 95
1907 62 0 62
1906 55 0 55
1905 46 0 46
1904 46 0 46
1903 56 0 56
1902 53 0 53
1901 45 0 45
1900 47 0 47
1899 51 0 51
1898 48 0 48
1897 41 0 41
1896 49 0 49
1895 40 0 40
1894 32 0 32
1893 26 0 26
1892 22 0 22
1891 19 0 19
1890 20 0 20
1889 23 0 23
1888 16 0 16
1887 12 0 12
1886 10 0 10
1885 7 0 7
1884 6 0 6
1882 6 0 6
1881 5 0 5
1880 8 0 8

Top States for Bernadette (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 20
15%
IL 13
10%
TX 12
9%
NY 10
8%
MI 10
8%
OH 9
7%
WI 9
7%
PA 8
6%
KS 8
6%
MN 7
5%
IN 6
5%
WA 6
5%
AZ 5
4%
CO 5
4%
MD 5
4%