Total births
1,671
Boys' name · since 1880
Bernhard
Bernhard has 1,671 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1916 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 1,671
- total births
- 1880–2021
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 19%
- born in that decade
1,671 boys have been named Bernhard since 1880, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Bernhard has 1,671 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2021.
- 1,671 total births
- 1880–2021 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 19% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,671 boys have been named Bernhard since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2021.
- 1,671
- total births
- 1880–2021
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 19%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Bernhard was born in this single decade.
1916
Single peak year
55 babies were named Bernhard in 1916 - its busiest year on record.
Bernhard's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Bernhard's SSA record in two at 1944 and the more recent half accounts for 39% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 61%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1883, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1916 peak of 55, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Bernhard at a glance
Last recorded 2021Peak year
1916
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Bernhard popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2021
- Peak year (1916)
- 55
- Annual births at peak, across 142 years of records
Bernhard by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Bernhard's strongest decade.
314 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Bernhard births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 51
1880s
51 births
- 1890s 53
1890s
53 births
- 1900s 27
1900s
27 births
- 1910s
1910s
286 births
- 1920s
1920s
314 births
- 1930s
1930s
227 births
- 1940s
1940s
161 births
- 1950s
1950s
179 births
- 1960s
1960s
188 births
- 1970s 72
1970s
72 births
- 1980s 38
1980s
38 births
- 1990s 39
1990s
39 births
- 2000s 15
2000s
15 births
- 2010s 15
2010s
15 births
- 2020s 6
2020s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 314 births (19% of all-time use).
How Bernhard compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Bernhard's total volume
Bernhard vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Bernhard by state
Where Bernhard concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 178 | 10.7% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 34 | 2.0% |
| #3 | Wisconsin | | 21 | 1.3% |
| #4 | California | | 15 | 0.9% |
| #5 | Texas | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #7 | North Dakota | | 5 | 0.3% |
New York share of Bernhard's total US births 10.7%
Even split
178 of 1,671 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Bernhard? ▼
Bernhard has been given to 1,671 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2021. 55 babies were born in 1916, its single highest year.
When was Bernhard most popular? ▼
Bernhard was most popular in the 1920s decade with 314 total births. The single peak year was 1916.
Where is Bernhard most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Bernhard are New York (178 births), Minnesota (34 births), Wisconsin (21 births).
How long has the name Bernhard been used? ▼
Records for Bernhard go back to 1880, giving 142 years of history through 2021.
What names are similar to Bernhard? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Bernard, Bert, Bernardo, Bernie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Bernhard's data
- Bernhard's decade-level peak was the 1920s (314 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Bernhards (178 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Bernhard
Nearby Names Like Bernhard
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bernhard
Bernard Boy
#1318 200,087 births
Bert Boy
#8312 33,585 births
Bernardo Boy
#1342 11,175 births
Bernie Boy
#5454 9,225 births
Bertram Boy
#7766 7,955 births
Compare Bernhard side by side: Bernhard vs Bernard Bernhard vs Bert Bernhard vs Bernardo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Zaidyn #1596
1,672 births · Peak 2023
Octavious #6875
1,669 births · Peak 1992
Bayron #2300
1,669 births · Peak 2009
Jahaziel #1790
1,669 births · Peak 2023
Reynolds #4713
1,674 births · Peak 1923
Javeon #4793
1,674 births · Peak 2008
Tysen #5983
1,668 births · Peak 2010
Dorris
1,675 births · Peak 1922
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2021 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Bernhard: Baby Name Since 1880 - 1,671 Births, Peak 1916." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/bernhard. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Bernhard draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.