On Bernadette: Why It Has The Best Sentiment For a Little Girl

The first Bernadette I heard of came to my attention while watching the tape of Into The Woods. Bernadette Peters: Broadway Darling, is pretty much the only real Bernadette in the public conscious.
That is a good thing.
From her strong voice to her long ,curly, hair, Miss Peters to me is a perfect Bernadette. The name translates to "brave as a bear", and is a female version of Bernard(which translates to the same thing). Bernadette is, thus, a very strong name. It's softened not by being the feminine form, but simply by it's namesake. Bears may be brave and ferocious when pushed, but left to their own devices they are gentle and shy.

Bernadette has the best sentiment for a young girl. So many names give blessings of beauty or of resembling some beautiful image. Bernadette wishes for bravery, but it seems that is not pretty enough for people.Tell a woman that she resembles a bear more than a deer and they will feel offended. I, however, would be flattered. Bears are strong mammals, and what's wrong with resembling something strong? Deers are lovely, but a deer loses when pitted against a bear.

To have a name that blesses a child with the bravery of a bear, whether they are brave or not, is a wonderful sentiment.There is so much out there that can harm a child that they need that kind of bravery. This is not just the bravery to go on adventures, but the bravery to just be. I would rather have a child who is brave enough to be happy with themselves than one who is particularly pretty or social.

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