Boy · #3,946 in 2026

Bern

Bern, or Berne, is the de facto capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city". With a population of about 146,000, Bern is the fifth-most populous city in Switzerland, behind Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Lausanne. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 36 municipalities, had a population of 406,900 in 2014. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000.

Current Rank
#3,946
Peak Rank
#3,032 (1958)
Total Babies
86
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1915
First Year
1966
Last Year
1958
Peak Year
#3032
Peak Rank
86
Total Count
15
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Bern

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Bern, or Berne, is the de facto capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city". With a population of about 146,000, Bern is the fifth-most populous city in Switzerland, behind Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Lausanne. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 36 municipalities, had a population of 406,900 in 2014. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
See also Other names of Bern The etymology of the name "Bern" is uncertain. According to the local legend, based on folk etymology , Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen , the founder of the city of Bern, vowed to name the city after the first animal he met on the hunt, and this turned out to be a bear ( Middle High German bër ). It has long been considered likely that the city was named after the Italian city of Verona , which at the time was known as Bern in Middle High German . The city was sometimes referred to as Bern im Üechtland to distinguish it from Verona. As a result of the finding of the
Origin & history
Main article: History of Bern For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Bern .

The Story of Bern

Bern first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1915, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1958, when 8 Berns were born — ranking #3,032 that year. As of 2026, Bern ranks #3,946 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 86 Berns have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Names that sound like Bern

Phonetically similar names — useful when Bern is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Burn
  • Byrne
  • Burne
  • Brn
  • Birn
  • Berne
  • Bearn
  • Birne
  • Berm
  • Burm
  • Brm
  • Prn

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bern

What does the name Bern mean?
Bern, or Berne, is the de facto capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city". With a population of about 146,000, Bern is the fifth-most populous city in Switzerland, behind Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Lausanne. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 36 municipalities, had a population of 406,900 in 2014. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000.
How popular is Bern in 2026?
In 2026, Bern ranks #3,946 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Bern most popular?
Bern reached its peak popularity in 1958, ranking #3,032 that year with 8 babies given the name.
Is Bern a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Bern is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Bern?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Bern include Myra, Doreen, Regionald. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Myra
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Doreen
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Regionald
Peak #3032
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Wwilliam
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Geff
Peak #3032
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Tamarcus
Peak #3031
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Tydarius
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Delshawn
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About the name Bern

Bern is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 86 births in the dataset. Bern's peak popularity came in 1958 when it ranked #3,032. Use the chart and map above to compare Bern's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.