Derived from the Germanic element bern "bear" combined with hard "brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Beornheard. This was the name of several saints, including Saint Bernard of Menthon who built hospices in the Swiss Alps in the 10th century, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. Another famous bearer was George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), an Irish playwright and essayist.
Usage: Ancient Germanic, Croatian, Czech, English, French, Polish, Slovene
Name day: January 12th: Croatia January 19th: Poland February 9th: Poland February 16th: Poland March 12th: Croatia, Poland May 20th: Slovakia June 1st: Poland June 15th: Poland July 20th: Croatia August 10th: Poland August 20th: Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Poland August 21st: Poland September 14th: Poland October 14th: Poland October 21st: Poland
Famous People: George Bernard Shawwiki (Writer, 1856, Ireland), Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery owiki (Military Personnel, 1887, United Kingdom), Bernard L. Madoffwiki (Businessperson, 1938, United States), Bernard of Clairvauxwiki (Religious Figure, 1090, France), Bernard Bolzanowiki (Philosopher, 1781, Czech Republic), Claude Bernardwiki (Physician, 1813, France), Bernard Kouchnerwiki (Physician, 1939, France), Bernard Katzwiki (Biologist, 1911, Germany), Bernard Hinaultwiki (Cyclist, 1954, France), Bernard Lewiswiki (Historian, 1916, United Kingdom)