Bern
/bɛrn/noun
The capital city of Switzerland, located on the Aare River.
Did you know?Bern’s bear emblem is traditionally linked to its name, yet historians consider the bear explanation uncertain and possibly a later folk etymology.
Etymological Timeline
1191
Medieval Latin
Berna
“The earliest recorded form of the city’s name.”
13th Century
Middle High German
Bern
“The developing German form of the place-name.”
Medieval Period
Germanic theory
bero
“A proposed Old High German source meaning “bear,” connecting the name with the city’s heraldic animal.”
Medieval Period
Celtic theory
*berna
“An alternative proposed Celtic source, possibly referring to a cleft, gap, or fissure in the landscape.”
Modern English
English
Bern
“The established English name of Switzerland’s capital.”