Bernadette is a female given name of French origin. It is derived from the Occitan name Bernardeta, which itself comes from the Germanic name Bernard. The name Bernard means "brave bear," with "ber" meaning bear and "-hard" meaning brave or strong.
The name Bernadette was popularized in France by Bernadette Soubirous, a young woman who reported visions of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes in 1858. As a result of these apparitions, Bernadette became known as "Bernadette of Lourdes," and her name has been associated with the town ever since.
While Bernadette is not as widely used today as it once was, it remains a traditional French name with a strong historical significance. It is often given to girls in honor of Bernadette Soubirous or as a way to pay tribute to France's cultural heritage.
Some notable individuals named Bernadette include:
* Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879), the French visionary who reported seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes.
* Bernadette Devlin McAliskey (born 1947), a Northern Irish political activist and former Member of Parliament.
* Bernadette Lafont (1938-2013), a French actress known for her roles in films such as "Cleo from 5 to 7" and "Manon of the Spring."
* Bernadette Robinson (born 1960), an Australian singer and performer best known for her work in musical theater.
The given statistics show the annual number of births with the name Bernadette in the United States from 1880 to 2023. The data provides an insight into the popularity and trends of this name over time.
In the late 19th century, the name Bernadette was relatively uncommon, with fewer than ten births each year between 1880 and 1894. However, its popularity began to increase in the early 20th century, with more than one hundred births annually from 1908 onwards.
The peak of popularity for the name Bernadette occurred during World War II, with a significant jump in births in 1943 (655) and even higher numbers in subsequent years, reaching a peak of 1,496 births in 1958. This period of high popularity may be attributable to the influence of famous historical figures or cultural trends.
After this peak, the popularity of the name Bernadette declined steadily but consistently until the early 2000s, with fewer than one hundred births each year from 1973 onwards. Since then, there has been a slight resurgence in its popularity, with around 150 to 200 births annually between 2008 and 2023.
In total, based on the provided data, there have been 54,536 births with the name Bernadette in the United States from 1880 to 2023. This information highlights the fluctuating popularity of this name throughout history while also demonstrating its enduring presence as a chosen name for newborn girls.