55+ Male & Female Names that Mean Bear

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Naming expert Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson shares her top "bear" names for boys

Co-authored by Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: August 3, 2026 Fact Checked

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For Boys

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For Girls

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For Dogs

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Famous Bear Names

It's easy to get lost in the woods when you're looking for a name for your baby or a new pet. When in doubt, choosing a name that means "bear" or is inspired by bears can help you see the forest through the trees! We consulted with naming experts to bring you the best boy and girl names that mean "bear," plus names for your dog inspired by famous bears in pop culture. We're bear-ly getting started, so read on!

Names that Mean "Bear"

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A list of boy and girl names that mean "bear" (as in the animal) or "to bear" (as in the verb).

Naming expert Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson recommends Orson ("little bear") and Bernard ("brave bear") for boys. If you're naming a girl, Bernadette ("brave as a bear") and Mishka ("little bear") are great options. When naming a dog, consider a bear-inspired name like Baloo, Paddington, or Winnie.

Section 1 of 4:

Boy Names that Mean Bear

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Strong, popular boy names that mean "bear" include Arthur, Barrett, and Bernard. If you're thinking about naming your son after a bear, you're making a great choice! Bears are courageous, strong, and capable, all admirable qualities for a boy to emulate. Dr. Wilson recommends Bernard, which means "brave bear."^{[1]
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Expert Source

Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson
Naming Consultant and Childhood Expert

Expert Interview} And in case you're looking for a name that means "bear" as the verb, we've got options for that, too! Here's a full list of boy names with bear-like meanings, with their language of origin:
- Adalbern: "Noble bear" (Germanic)
- Arash: "Bear" (Persian)
- Arcturus: "Guardian of the bear" (Greek)
- Armel: "Bear prince" or "chief" (Celtic and Breton)
- Arthur: "Bear" or "strong as a bear" (Celtic)
- Barrett: "Mighty bear" or "strife" (English and Irish)
- Bernard: "Brave bear" or "bold as a bear" (Germanic)
- Bjorn: "Bear" (Norse)
- Casper: "Treasure bearer" or "treasure" (Persian)
- Christopher: "Bearer of Christ" (Greek)
- Dov: "Bear" (Hebrew)
- Drogo: "To bear" or "to carry" (Germanic)
- Espen: "God bear" or "divine bear" (Norse)
- Garcia: "Young bear" (Spanish)
- Gerben: "Spear bearer" (Dutch and Frisian)
- Hallbjorn: "Rock bear" (Norse)
- Humphrey: "Bear cub of peace" or "peaceful warrior" (Germanic)
- Kuruk: "Bear" (Pawnee)
- Nanuq: "Polar bear" (Inuit)
- Nokosi: "Black bear" (Seminole)
- Oberon: "Noble bear" or "elf king" (English, French, German)
- Orson: "Bear cub" (French)
- Otso: "Bear" (Finnish)
- Ozzie: "Bear god" (Norse)
- Swithin: "Strong bear" (Old English)
- Torben: "Thor's bear" or "thunder bear" (Norse)
- Vernados: "Brave as a bear" (Greek)
- Vetle: "Bear cub" (Norse)
- Yonaguska: "Drowning bear" (Cherokee)
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson is a naming expert who shares name meanings, naming tips, and other inspiration on her Instagram account (@little_name_library).

Sonya Prior is a baby naming expert who shares name content on social media with over 30K followers. She's been featured on The Cut and other media outlets.

Section 2 of 4:

Girl Names that Mean Bear

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Sweet girl names that mean "bear" are Bernadette, Mishka, and Nita. As well as being strong and intelligent, bears can also be sweet and nurturing. All of these qualities make the bear the perfect animal for your little girl's namesake! Baby naming expert Sonya Prior suggests Bernadette, which means "brave as a bear."^{[2]
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Expert Source

Sonya Prior
Baby Naming Expert

Expert Interview} Here are other lovely girl names with bear meanings from all around the world:
- Arcadia: "Bear" (Greek)
- Bernadette: "Brave as a bear" (French and German)
- Birna: "She-bear" (Norse)
- Calysta: "Beautiful" (Greek), originating from the myth of Callisto, whom Zeus pursued and who was turned into a bear by his vengeful wife Hera
- Kumako: "Bear-child" (Japanese)
- Mee Noi: "Little bear" (Thai)
- Mishka: "Little bear" (Russian)
- Nita: "Bear" (Choctaw)
- Orsina: "Bear" or "bear-like" (Italian)
- Ursula: "Little bear" (Latin)

Section 3 of 4:

Dog Names that Mean Bear

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Choose a bear name for your dog that reminds you of bears, like Baloo. If you have a dog that looks or sounds bear-like, you might want a bear-like name to match. For example, Paddington and Winnie are synonymous with bears, even though those names don't explicitly mean "bear." Check out more names that might inspire you to think of bears whenever you're naming your dog (or another pet):
- Artemis: Unknown meaning (Greek; inspired by the Greek goddess Artemis, who is also associated with bears)
- Baloo: "Bear" (Hindi; inspired by Baloo the bear in The Jungle Book)
- Fozzie: Unknown meaning (inspired by Fozzie Bear from The Muppets)
- Koda: "Friend" (Dakota; inspired by Koda the bear cub in Disney's Brother Bear)
- Kodiak: Refers to the Alaskan brown bear
- Teddy: "Gift of God" (Greek; short for Theodore and inspired by the toy Teddy bears)

Section 4 of 4:

Names Inspired by Famous Bears

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Why not go with a name inspired by pop culture or classic literature? Famous bears are ubiquitous in children's literature, from Winnie-the-Pooh to The Jungle Book. If you're looking for a cozy, cuddly name or nickname for your little one, you can't go wrong with these:
- Winnie (from Winnie-the-Pooh)
- Baloo (from The Jungle Book)
- Paddington (from Paddington Bear)
- Koda (from Brother Bear)
- Smokey (i.e. Smokey Bear, the mascot for the U.S. Forest Service)
- Yogi (i.e. Yogi Bear)
- Cindy (Yogi Bear's girlfriend)
- Fozzie (i.e. Fozzie Bear from The Muppets)
- Iorek (i.e. Iorek Byrnison from Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials books)
- Ernest (from Ernest & Celestine)
- Po (from Kung Fu Panda)
- Party Pat (from Adventure Time)
- Corduroy (from Corduroy)