Bernadette
Girl name · #1034 in 2025 · Rare
In 2025, 241 baby girls were named Bernadette, placing it at #1034 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1477, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,469 girls born in 2025 was named Bernadette.
The 145-year story
Bernadette first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 8 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1958, when 1,494 girls were named Bernadette — good for #213 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Bernadette per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Bernadette against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Bernadette in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Bernadette is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Bernadette will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Bernadette is most common
Geography matters for names, and Bernadette is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Bernadette is most common in KS (0.8 per 1,000), OR (0.8 per 1,000), MN (0.6 per 1,000), IL (0.4 per 1,000), MI (0.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Bernadette is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Bernadette
Statistically, parents drawn to Bernadette tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Annette, Brigitte, Paulette, Bridgette, and Yvette.
AnnetteBrigittePauletteBridgetteYvetteColletteLynetteGeorgette
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Bernadette | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 241 | #1034 |
| 2024 | 187 | #1242 |
| 2023 | 189 | #1237 |
| 2022 | 182 | #1295 |
| 2021 | 208 | #1175 |
| 2020 | 150 | #1445 |
| 2019 | 139 | #1548 |
| 2018 | 181 | #1271 |
| 2017 | 177 | #1317 |
| 2016 | 148 | #1523 |
| 2015 | 155 | #1477 |
| 2014 | 134 | #1602 |
| 2013 | 95 | #2032 |
| 2012 | 88 | #2145 |
| 2011 | 63 | #2763 |
| 2010 | 79 | #2386 |
| 2009 | 77 | #2465 |
| 2008 | 78 | #2441 |
| 2007 | 74 | #2509 |
| 2006 | 95 | #2069 |
| 2005 | 91 | #2057 |
| 2004 | 96 | #1942 |
| 2003 | 99 | #1858 |
| 2002 | 101 | #1780 |
| 2001 | 125 | #1499 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Bernadette a popular girl name?
Bernadette ranked #1034 among girls in 2025 with 241 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1477.
When was the name Bernadette most popular?
Bernadette peaked in 1958, when 1,494 American girls received the name (ranked #213 that year). Since 1958 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Bernadette?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,469 newborn American girls was named Bernadette. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.