Talk:Bern

{{rfc}} According to the (incorrect) folk etymology named by its founder, Duke Berthold V, after a bear (Bär) he had killed there.

The most popular scientific version is that the name is connected with Celtic word Bren - mountain (with metathesa Bren > Bern, Berne). According to another version, the name is connected with Verona (due to the kindred between the feudals of Verona and Bern the name of the former was transfered to the latter). Interestingly, ancient German name of Verona was Welsch Bern (Another name of the Ostgothic king Theodorich the Great was Dietrich von Bern where Bern means Verona). Cognate with Latvian bērns (“child”), Lithuanian bérnas (“mercenary”).

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