Bern is the capital city of Switzerland. The etymology of the name Bern is uncertain; according to the local legend, based on folk etymology, Berchtold V, Duke of Zähringen, the founder of the city of Bern, vowed to name the city after the first animal he met on the hunt, and this turned out to be a bear.
From Alemannic German Bärn of uncertain meaning. A popular folk etymology suggests that it is derived from German Bär meaning "bear", although it is more likely of Celtic origin, perhaps from the word *berna meaning "cleft". This is the name of the capital city of Switzerland as well as a canton of the same name.
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