Is Bernadette a boy's or girl's name?

Bernadette is primarily a girl's name. It is also used as a boy's name, with 60 recorded births.

When was Bernadette most popular?

Bernadette reached its peak popularity in 1958 with 1,494 births that year. It is currently ranked #1247 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Bernadette?

Bernadette is currently ranked #1247 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 54,728 babies since 1880.

Bernadette

An uncommon French pick — distinctive and rare.

Girl's name| Also boysFrenchRising fast Also a pet name

#1247▼ 11in 2024

Meaning & Origin

A female given name from French.

Bernadette is a girl's and boy's baby name of French origin, a feminine diminutive of Bernard, from the Germanic Bernhard, composed of bern (bear) and hard (brave, strong), meaning 'brave little bear' or 'strong as a bear.'

Saint Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes — the 14-year-old peasant girl who reported visions of the Virgin Mary in 1858 — is the name's most revered bearer. Her humility and faith transformed Lourdes into one of the world's great pilgrimage sites. The name also belongs to the nerdy-but-brilliant Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz in The Big Bang Theory.

Compare Bernadette with another name

Popularity Over Time

Bernadette climbed 698 spots in the last 20 years — from #1945 to #1247.

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Bernadette
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	914	#1280	▼
2010s	1,259	#1809	▲
2000s	946	#2025	▼
1990s	1,979	#998	▼
1980s	3,271	#608	▼
1970s	5,887	#378	▼
1960s	10,718	#272	▲
1950s	10,701	#255	▲
1940s	8,631	#259	▲
1930s	3,772	#333	▲
1920s	3,533	#356	▲
1910s	2,078	#387	▲
1900s	598	#444	▲
1890s	348	#501	▲
1880s	93	#740	—

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(144 years, 1880–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Bernadette
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	186	#1247	-3 (-1.6%)
2023	189	#1236	+7 (3.8%)
2022	182	#1296	-25 (-12.1%)
2021	207	#1179	+57 (38.0%)
2020	150	#1444	+11 (7.9%)
2019	139	#1549	-42 (-23.2%)
2018	181	#1271	+4 (2.3%)
2017	177	#1318	+29 (19.6%)
2016	148	#1526	-7 (-4.5%)
2015	155	#1479	+21 (15.7%)
2014	134	#1604	+39 (41.1%)
2013	95	#2035	+7 (8.0%)
2012	88	#2149	+25 (39.7%)
2011	63	#2772	-16 (-20.3%)
2010	79	#2388	+2 (2.6%)
2009	77	#2467	-1 (-1.3%)
2008	78	#2444	+4 (5.4%)
2007	74	#2515	-21 (-22.1%)
2006	95	#2070	+4 (4.4%)
2005	91	#2062	-5 (-5.2%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Bernadette as a Boy's Name

While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Bernadette has also been given to 60 boys in the U.S. since 1962.

Unranked

Current rank

Total births

1967

Peak year

Compare Bernadette as girl vs boy

Frequently Asked

Can Bernadette be used for both boys and girls?

Yes, Bernadette is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name, it currently ranks #1247. As a boy's name, it is not currently in the top rankings.