Bern

A placename

Proper noun

  1. A placename

    1. A federal city of Switzerland; the capital city of Bern canton.

    2. A canton of Switzerland.

  2. A surname

Origin

From Alemannic German Bärn, of uncertain further origin. A popular folk etymology says it was named by its founder, Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen, after the first animal he saw in the area, a Bär(in) (“bear”) (compare Berlin, subject to a similar folk etymology). The name is now thought to be connected to a Celtic word, Proto-Celtic *berna (“cleft”) (from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“to carve out, cut”)) and *branos (“raven”) (compare the name ΒΡΕΝΟΔΩΡ (BRENODŌR), on the Bern zinc tablet, which has also been connected with the Gaulish name Brennus). More at Bern.

Forms

Berns Berne

Wikipedia

Bern

Derived

Bernese Bremgarten bei Bern New Bern

Proper noun Entry 2

  1. A unisex given name, variant of Bernie.

    1. A diminutive of the male given name Bernard, variant of Bernie.

    2. A diminutive of the female given names Bernadette or Bernice, variant of Bernie.

Origin

Abbreviations * Clipping of Bernard. * Clipping of Bernadette. * Clipping of Bernice.

Forms

Berns