Burnadette
A girl's name of French origin with 135 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Burnadette sits in the historical zone of American naming: first recorded in 1917, peaking in 1950, with 135 total births across its history.
The open, approachable quality of its ending — ending on a vowel softens the overall impression — gives it a distinctive rhythm that pairs well with shorter middle names or surnames.
Burnadette is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Burnadette is a girl's baby name of French origin, a variant of Bernadette, meaning 'brave as a bear.' Saint Bernadette of Lourdes gave this name extraordinary spiritual significance in the 19th century, and the alternate spelling here adds a subtle American touch.
EtymologyShow more
Though Burnadette dates back to 1917 in U.S. records, its etymological path is not always straightforward. Names that predate modern naming databases sometimes resist easy classification — they may have been oral traditions, regional family names, or adaptations that were never systematically recorded. The French classification provides a starting point, but the full derivation likely involves more nuance than a single label can capture.
With only 135 recorded births, Burnadette has not been widely studied in naming literature — its story belongs primarily to the families who chose it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Burnadette has 22+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1917.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 15 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 41 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 39 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 11 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 17 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 6 | — |
The Story of Burnadette
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1950, Burnadette is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Burnadette are most likely born between 1940 and 1960.
How rare is Burnadette?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Burnadette is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1917, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1960s with 41 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Burnadette by the numbers
- Would fill 3 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(22 years, 1917–1980)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 6 | #9232 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9233 |
| 1971 | 5 | #8465 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8120 |
| 1969 | 7 | #6026 |
| 1968 | 6 | #6329 |
| 1967 | 7 | #5514 |
| 1966 | 7 | #5319 |
| 1961 | 7 | #5355 |
| 1960 | 7 | #5225 |
| 1959 | 5 | #6352 |
| 1958 | 6 | #5477 |
| 1955 | 5 | #5925 |
| 1954 | 8 | #4315 |
| 1953 | 6 | #5103 |
| 1950 | 9 | #3694 |
| 1948 | 5 | #5318 |
| 1947 | 6 | #4814 |
| 1928 | 5 | #4811 |
| 1927 | 5 | #4902 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1917–1980