Boy · #3,828 in 2026

Berne

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
#3,828
Peak Rank
#3,095 (1931)
Total Babies
48
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1915
First Year
1954
Last Year
1931
Peak Year
#3095
Peak Rank
48
Total Count
9
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Berne

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 Berne

Berne 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 1931, when 7 Bernes were born — ranking #3,095 that year. As of 2026, Berne ranks #3,828 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 48 Bernes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Berne

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

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

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Berne

What does the name Berne 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 Berne in 2026?
In 2026, Berne ranks #3,828 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Berne most popular?
Berne reached its peak popularity in 1931, ranking #3,095 that year with 7 babies given the name.
Is Berne a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Berne is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Berne?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Berne include Mollie, Ove, Wintford. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Mollie
Peak #3095
👦
Ove
Peak #3095
👦
Wintford
Peak #3095
👦
Leaon
Peak #3095
👦
Minton
Peak #3095
👦
Elvira
Peak #3095
👦
Hughy
Peak #3095
👦
Virdell
Peak #3095

About the name Berne

Berne is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 48 births in the dataset. Berne's peak popularity came in 1931 when it ranked #3,095. Use the chart and map above to compare Berne'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.