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Berthold
How to Pronounce Berthold
Pronounced BER-tohld /ˈbɛr.toʊld/Medium
Meaning: Berthold is a Germanic name combining beraht, 'bright, famous,' with wald, 'rule, power,' giving the sense 'bright ruler.' It is an old and well-documented German name, historically borne by medieval dukes and saints.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Berthold comes from the Germanic beraht, 'bright, famous,' joined to wald, 'rule,' meaning 'bright ruler.' It is a long-established German name, carried into the United States chiefly by German immigrant families in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
It was never common outside that heritage, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak around 1919, and it grew very rare by the 1950s. It remains a dignified, historically rooted heirloom name.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Berthold mean?
It is German for 'bright ruler,' from the Germanic elements beraht, 'bright,' and wald, 'rule.'
How do you pronounce Berthold?
It is said BER-tohld /ˈbɛr.toʊld/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Berthold a boy or girl name?
Berthold is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Berthold?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty boys a year even at its early peak in the late 1910s, mostly among German heritage families.