Given name & surname
Barnard
“as strong and brave as a bear”
In English use, Barnard has a related form in Bernard. One German interpretation is “as strong and brave as a bear.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Barnard has a related form in Bernard. One German interpretation is “as strong and brave as a bear.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Barnard has a related form in Bernard. An origin associated with Bernard is Germanic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Barnard developed from BERNHARD. In Afrikaans usage, Barnard as a surname developed from Bernard.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1891. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Barnard through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 895
- 895 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1963
- 25 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 6 in 1998. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 25 in 1963. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 450 as a first name in 2020; 19,152 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Barnard’s family of names
In English usage, Barnard has a diminutive in Barn. In English usage, Barnard developed from the German form BERNHARD. In English usage, Barnard has a related form in Bernard.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Barnard has relatives in 4 languages.
5 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Barnard
- Barnard E. BeeUnited States Army officer and Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War (1824-1861)
- Bernard of VienneBishop of Vienne778–842
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Barnard, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Barry
“a fair-haired man”
>99% boys
Brad
“one who has broad shoulders”
>99% boys
Arnie
“resembling an eagle” · “the eagle ruler”
>99% boys
Andree
“manliness” · “virility”
93% boys · 7% girls
Ward
“a guardian”
86% boys · 14% girls
Cornell
“refers to a horn”
>99% boys
Reinaldo
“the king's advisor”
>99% boys
Darvin
“a beloved friend”
>99% boys