How Many People Are Named Bernie?

Complete statistics for the name Bernie: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.

Bernie
Very Rare
Old English

Bernie is a classic name with Old English roots, rarely heard today but still cherished by 5,338 people in the US, making up just 1 in 61,825 Americans. The majority of those named Bernie are over 60, reflecting its status as an old-school name.

~282
Living in US
1 in 1,175,352
Americans
1960
Peak Year

📖 Meaning & Origin

💬
Meaning
Old English term for a beacon or boundary marker
🌐
Origin
Old English
🌟
Lucky Day
Friday
💎
Lucky Stone
Amethyst
🔢
Numerology
Life Path 8
Personality Traits
Trustworthy Dependable
8
Life Path Number

Life-path number 8 symbolizes power, authority, and success.

🌍 Worldwide Usage

5,338
Worldwide Bearers
#8,397
Global Rank
🇿🇦 South Africa
536
🇬🇭 Ghana
281
🇮🇩 Indonesia
189
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
176
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
171
🇩🇪 Germany
160
🇨🇳 China
139
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
124
🇸🇬 Singapore
97
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Wales
87

⚥ Gender Distribution

♂ Male
4,703 (88%)
♀ Female
635 (12%)

📊 Births by Age Group

Avg Cohort Age: 77
487
Would be under 30 (5%)
1,637
Would be 30–60 (15%)
8,628
Would be over 60 (80%)

All 10,752 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).

📈 Popularity Over Time

Peak: 1960

Annual US births from SSA records  ·  Trend: Declining

🏆 Name Scorecard

Popularity
97
Classic Feel
73
Modern Appeal
27
International
5

Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency

📜 Bernie Through the Generations

Bernie peaked in popularity in 1960 with 266 births, marking a high point in its usage. Today, the name is much rarer, with only 5,338 individuals bearing it across the United States. Interestingly, 80% of people named Bernie are over 60 years old, indicating a strong generational skew towards older adults. This trend suggests that Bernie is increasingly becoming a name associated with the past rather than the present.

📍 State Distribution (Top 10)

California 768
Texas 505
New York 397
Illinois 290
Ohio 242
North Carolina 240
New Mexico 239
Michigan 205
Kentucky 204
Missouri 182

⭐ Famous People Named Bernie

Bernie is a given name, most often a shortened form of Bernard and Bernadette.…

Full list on Wikipedia →

🌿 Related Names by Origin

Other names sharing Bernie's Old English roots

📄 About the Name Bernie

How Many People Have the Name Bernie?

Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 282 people in the United States currently share the name Bernie. That works out to roughly 1 in every 1,175,352 Americans, placing it in the Very Rare category.

Is Bernie a Common or Rare Name?

Bernie is classified as Very Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.

What Does the Name Bernie Mean?

Bernie means "Old English term for a beacon or boundary marker" and comes from Old English origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 8.

Gender Breakdown

Of all recorded bearers of Bernie in SSA data, approximately 88% are male and 12% are female.

When Was Bernie Most Popular?

The name Bernie reached peak popularity in 1960, with 266 babies registered that year. Current trend: Declining.

How Is This Data Calculated?

All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many people are named Bernie?

Approximately 282 people named Bernie live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 282. That works out to roughly 1 in 1,175,352 Americans.

Is Bernie a rare name?

Bernie is classified as Very Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 1,175,352 Americans has this name.

What does the name Bernie mean?

Bernie means "Old English term for a beacon or boundary marker" and comes from Old English origins.

Is Bernie more male or female?

Based on SSA records, 88% of people named Bernie are male and 12% are female.

When was Bernie most popular?

Bernie peaked in 1960 with 266 births that year. Current trend: Declining.

How accurate are these statistics?

All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.

Disclaimer: All results are statistical estimates based on aggregated SSA birth records and modeling. Not exact counts of individuals. Data source: SSA National Baby Names dataset.
Quick Stats
Living in US282
All-Time Births282
1 in X1 in 1,175,352
RarityVery Rare
GenderMale
Avg Age77
Peak Year1960
World Rank#8,397
Male %88%
Female %12%

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Data Source

Powered by the SSA National Baby Names dataset, birth registrations from 1880 to present.

All counts are statistical estimates. See the methodology page.