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Bern

//bɝn// name

Definitions

Proper Noun

1
A placename; A federal city of Switzerland; the capital city of Bern canton. countable, uncountable
2
A unisex given name, variant of Bernie.; A diminutive of the male given name Bernard, variant of Bernie.
3
A placename; A canton of Switzerland. countable, uncountable
4
A unisex given name, variant of Bernie.; A diminutive of the female given names Bernadette or Bernice, variant of Bernie.
5
A surname countable, uncountable

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Alemannic German Bärn, of uncertain further origin. A popular folk etymology says it was named by its founder, Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen, after the first animal he saw in the area, a Bär(in) (“bear”) (compare Berlin, subject to a similar folk etymology). The name is now thought to be connected to a Celtic word, Proto-Celtic *berna (“cleft”) (from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“to carve out, cut”)) and *branos (“raven”) (compare the name ΒΡΕΝΟΔΩΡ (BRENODŌR), on the Bern zinc tablet, which has also been connected with the Gaulish name Brennus). More at Bern.

Etymology 2

Abbreviations * Clipping of Bernard. * Clipping of Bernadette. * Clipping of Bernice.

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