Holding steady.
Popularity of Bernadene since 1907
Babies named Bernadene per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1920, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Bernadene's real moment was 1913.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 85 |
| 1920s | 169 |
| 1930s | 114 |
| 1940s | 58 |
| 1950s | 29 |
| 1960s | 22 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Bernadene is a rare elaboration of Bernadette, the feminine form of Bernard. It first entered U.S. records in 1907, a time when Bernadette was enjoying popularity due to the fame of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes. Its peak year was 1913, just six years after its first recorded appearance, reflecting a brief window of interest among parents seeking a distinctive yet pious variant. By the 1920s, usage had already tapered off, and the name has since become exceedingly uncommon, with fewer than five annual births in most recent decades. The suffix -ene was fashionable in the early 1900s, giving the name a delicate, old-fashioned feel. Trajectory data show a stable pattern, meaning it has experienced no significant resurgence. While Bernadene has never appeared among the top 1,000 names or in the top states, its connection to the enduring Saint Bernadette gives it a quiet, historic charm.
Bernadene is a compound name formed from Bernadette and the popular feminine suffix -ene. Bernadette itself is the French feminine diminutive of Bernard, which comes from the Germanic elements 'bern' (bear) and 'hard' (brave, hardy). The name became well-known through Saint Bernadette of Lourdes, but the variant Bernadene appears to be an English-language elaboration that saw limited use in the early 20th century, particularly in the 1910s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Bernie, Dene
Variants: Bernadine, Bernardene
Sibling names for Bernadene
Names that share Bernadene's style, for a brother or sister.
