Meaning: Its source is Beornheard, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Strong bear."

Origin: "Beornheard."

Languages: This girl's name is used in English and French.

Nicknames: Bera, Berna and Bernie

Alternative Spellings: Bernadet, Bernadett and Bernedette

Variant Forms: Beradette, Bernadin, Bernadine, Bernaetta, Bernarda, Bernardette, Bernardina, Bernardine, Bernessa and Bernadotte

Popularity: The name Bernadette ranked 400th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.