Bernie
/ˈbɜːr.ni/noun
A masculine given name and informal diminutive of Bernard.
Did you know?Bernie ultimately traces back to a Germanic bear-name element, and the same ancient root also lives on in words like bear, brown, and even the old name Bernhard.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰerǵʰ-
“A root associated with bears in Germanic tradition; the exact prehistory is debated.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*berô
“Bear.”
Old High German
OHG
bero
“Bear.”
Old High German
OHG
berinhart
“Bear-brave, bear-strong; a compound personal name.”
Old French / Medieval Latin
OF/ML
Bernard
“A personal name formed from Germanic elements meaning bear + hard/brave.”
Modern English
EN
Bernie
“Informal short form of Bernard, used as a given name.”