Bernt is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old High German 'Bernhard', which means 'bear strong'. It was popularized by early saints such as Bernard of Clairvaux and Bernard of Ivrea in the Middle Ages. In Norway and Denmark, Bernt has been a traditional name with a long history of use. The name has also been adopted in Sweden and Iceland, where it is considered to be of Scandinavian origin. Bernt's popularity peaks during the 19th century but continues to be used today, albeit less frequently.
"The name Bernt was quite popular in the years 1927 and 1931 with five births each year, but it then saw a decline until 1960 when another five babies were named Bernt. In 1983, there were again five births with this name, making a total of twenty boys named Bernt over these four years."