| Bernard | Henry | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Bold as a bear | Home ruler |
| Origin | germanic | Germanic |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | BUR-nard | HEN-ree |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1924 (4,505) | 2025 (12,020) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 12,020 |
| Trend | Vintage | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Bernard | Henry |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 845 | 68,047 |
| 2010s | 1,608 | 92,585 |
| 2000s | 2,252 | 42,760 |
| 1990s | 4,159 | 25,249 |
| 1980s | 6,507 | 20,728 |
| 1970s | 9,100 | 23,511 |
| 1960s | 17,475 | 39,134 |
| 1950s | 25,887 | 62,230 |
| 1940s | 26,446 | 72,488 |
| 1930s | 30,545 | 70,419 |
| 1920s | 42,408 | 104,552 |
| 1910s | 25,628 | 79,667 |
| 1900s | 3,296 | 21,772 |
| 1890s | 2,315 | 21,664 |
| 1880s | 1,616 | 24,139 |
From Germanic 'bern' (bear) and 'hard' (brave, hardy), 'brave/strong as a bear' - the bear being a warrior symbol. Borne by several saints.
Henry is a Germanic name meaning “home ruler,” from heim (“home”) and ric (“ruler”). It has been borne by eight English kings.
Henry is more popular than Bernard today: about 12,020 US babies were given the name Henry in 2025, compared with 0 named Bernard.
Bernard means Bold as a bear (germanic origin), while Henry means Home ruler (Germanic origin).
In US records, Bernard first appears in 0 and Henry in 1880, so Bernard has the longer recorded history.