Explore Our Collection of Books and Stories About Bernadette

The name Bernadette is of French origin and means "brave as a bear". It is a diminutive of the name Bernarde, which is a feminine form of the name Bernard.The name became popular after the apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes, France in 1858, where a young peasant girl named Bernadette Soubirous was visited by the Virgin Mary 18 times. These apparitions were declared as authentic by the Catholic Church in 1862 and Bernadette was later canonized as a saint.As a result of these events, the name Bernadette became popular among Catholics and is often associated with devotion to the Virgin Mary. It was also popularized in popular culture by the 1943 musical comedy film "The Song of Bernadette" based on the book of the same name by Franz Werfel about Bernadette Soubirous. Famous bearers of the name Bernadette include actress Bernadette Peters, singer Bernadette Bascom, and activist Bernadette Devlin McAliskey.

The name Bernadette is most popular in France, where it has a strong Catholic heritage and is associated with devotion to Saint Bernadette of Lourdes. It is also popular in Belgium, the Netherlands, and some English-speaking countries such as the United States and Canada.

If you are looking for baby names that are similar to Bernadette, there are many options to consider. Whether you want something that sounds similar or has a similar meaning, here are some names to consider:

• Bernice
• Bernardine
• Bernina
• Bernadina
• Bernadine
• Bernyce
• Bernie
• Bernette
• Bernadetta
• Bernetta
• Bernicia
• Berneice
• Bernita
• Berny
• Yvette (shares the "ette" ending with Bernadette)