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.
- #3,695 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,671
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak 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.
- #3,695 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,671 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bernhard ranks #3,695 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,671 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #3,695 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,671
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Bernhard's 1,671 recorded births place it above 91.87% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
7 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by New York.
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 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
1920s is the heaviest window (314 births, 19% of the file).
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 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% |
178 of 1,671 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Bernhard? ▼
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When was Bernhard most popular? ▼
Where is Bernhard most popular? ▼
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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
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
Compare Bernhard side by side: Bernhard vs Bernard Bernhard vs Bert Bernhard vs Bernardo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Bernhard: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1916)
Similar record span (~141 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.