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Bernardus

Bernardus is the Latin form of the given name Bernard. In medieval Europe it was commonly used in Latin-language records, liturgy, and hagiography to render individuals named Bernard. The name derives from Germanic elements berna- or bern- meaning “bear” and hard- meaning “brave” or “strong,” and has given rise to modern forms such as Bernard, Bernhard, Bernardo, and Bertrand.

Notable bearers include Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (Bernardus Clarivallensis) (1090–1153), a French Cistercian abbot who played

In religious writings, Bernardus appears frequently as a Latinized form of the name for clerics, monks, and

a
major
role
in
ecclesiastical
reform
and
who
was
declared
a
Doctor
of
the
Church;
and
Saint
Bernard
of
Montjoux,
also
called
Bernard
of
Menthon
(c.
923–1008),
founder
of
the
Great
St
Bernard
Hospice
at
the
pass
between
the
Alps.
scholars.
In
modern
culture
the
name
survives
in
institutions
and
brands
linked
to
monastic
heritage,
such
as
Saint
Bernardus
Abbey
in
Watou,
Belgium,
and
the
St.
Bernardus
beer,
named
after
that
community.
The
Latin
form
continues
to
appear
in
historical
texts
and
in
contexts
where
Latinized
naming
is
traditional.