Berthold

Berthold is a traditional German first name that evolved from the original name Berahtwald in the Middle Ages. This name is composed of the Old High German components beraht, meaning "shining" or "famous," and waltan, meaning "to rule" or "to reign." Thus, the name can be interpreted as "the glorious ruler" or "the radiant ruler."

What does the name Berthold mean?

Berthold is a historical German first name that originated in the Middle Ages from the root Berahtwald, combining the Old High German words beraht (shining, famous) and waltan (to rule, to reign). This gives the name the meaning "the glorious ruler" or "the radiant ruler." Berthold is often regarded as a typical medieval name, which is also due to its frequent mention in knight literature. In the Middle Ages, numerous dukes from Zähringen and Merania bore this name, making it particularly common in southern Germany. Until the 1960s, Berthold was a common first name in Germany but fell out of fashion afterward. Additionally, Berthold is also frequently found as a surname in Germany. Variants of the name include Barthold, Bartold, Berchthold, Berchtold, Berthelt, Bertholdt, Bertold, Bertoldo, and Bertolt. Short and pet forms include Bert, Bertel, Berti, Bertil, Bertl, and Berto.

Where does the name Berthold come from?

The name Berthold comes from Old High German and means "the glorious ruler" or "the radiant ruler."

How do you pronounce Berthold?

The pronunciation of Berthold is powerful and two-syllable. It is pronounced as "Ber-thold" [ˈbɛʁthɔlt], with the consonant cluster -rth- creating a distinctive middle. The hard -d at the end provides a clear conclusion. Overall, the name Berthold conveys a sense of tradition and steadfastness – it sounds serious, dignified, and strong in character.

When is the name day of Berthold?

The name days for Berthold are celebrated on various dates: March 29 (Berthold of Calabria), June 20 (Berthold of Scheda), July 27 (Berthold of Garsten), September 19 (Berthold of Weingarten), October 13 (Berthold of Cambrai and Arras), October 21 (Berthold of Livonia, Berthold of Parma), November 3 (Berthold of Engelberg), and December 14 (Berthold of Regensburg).

Popularity

In Germany, Berthold is a rather rare first name. In 2023, it ranked 5,488th among the most common male first names. Its best ranking was in 2011 when it reached 999th place. Over the last ten years, Berthold has been given as a first name approximately 30 times, placing it 4,208th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 3,114th.

Nicknames & pet names

Bert / Berti / Bertl / Beutholomeus / Brotholt / Unhold

Famous people

• Arthur Rudolph Berthold Wehnelt (physicist from Germany)
• Berthold (Bert) Kaempfert (German composer and arranger)
• Berthold Beitz (industrial manager, general representative of the Krupp Group, 'Righteous Among the Nations' of the Israeli memorial Yad Vashem)
• Berthold Buchenau (footballer from Germany)
• Berthold Dietz (German sculptor)
• Berthold Ebbecke (actor)
• Berthold Epstein (physicist from Czechia)
• Berthold F. Weber (German construction researcher)
• Berthold Faust (German painter)
• Berthold Fellmann (German archaeologist)
• Berthold Furtmeyr (American artist)
• Berthold Gockell (German architect)
• Berthold II von Landsberg (German bishop)
• Berthold Imhoff (Canadian painter)
• Berthold Kegebein (photographer from Germany)
• Berthold Kihn (doctor from Germany)
• Berthold Knittel (German photographer)
• Berthold Koch (German chess player)
• Berthold Landauer (German artist)
• Berthold Lubetkin (Russian architect)