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You are here: Home / Animals / How Did the Bear Get its Name, What Does it Mean, And How Do Bears Mate and Reproduce?

How Did the Bear Get its Name, What Does it Mean, And How Do Bears Mate and Reproduce?

July 7, 2020 by Karen Hill

Bears are mammals of the Ursidae family, and can be found in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

How Did the Bear Get its Name and What Does it Mean

Bears are usually solitary animals and diurnal, meaning they are active during the day and sleep at night.

The English name “bear” comes from Old English word “bera”, which means “brown” in Germanic languages.

The ancient Scandinavian name for bear is “björn” or “bjørn”, is also a common male name, and has been found mentioned in several runestone inscriptions.

In Germanic culture, the bear was a symbol of the warrior, and the Russian word for bear, “Medved”, or “медведь” are common last names.

In Russian and other Slavic languages, the word for bear, “Medved” (медведь), and variants or derivatives such as Medvedev are common surnames.

The Hebrew word for “bear”, “Dov” (דב), is also a common first name for men in that country.

The Irish family name “McMahon” means “Son of Bear” in Irish.

Bear names are popular among American tribes, and “Ten Bears” was a famous Comanche chief.

“Ten Bears” (Paruasemana) was the name of a well-known 19th Century chieftain among the Comanche. Also among other Native American tribes, bear-related names are attested.

Sometimes when you wake up one day and discover you’ve been living with a bear, it becomes clear that these things just won’t work out, and it’s time to separate.

The bear’s courtship period is very short, and they usually live together for about a month and then go their separate ways.

Bear cubs are born toothless, blind, and bald.

As the cubs grow, they will learn to hunt with the mother, and stay with her for about 3 years.

Bears reach sexual maturity in 5 to 7 years and the life cycle continues.

Related Facts

  • Can the polar bear mate with the brown bear to produce mixed baby bears?
  • What is Bear-Baiting, How Did it Originate, and What Kind of Bear Did They Use For Bear-Baiting?
  • What is the Biggest Bear in the World, Where Does it Live, and Are Grizzly Bears the Biggest Bear?
  • Where Do Black Bears Live and Are all Black Bears Black?
  • What Do Polar Bears Eat and Do Polar Bears Eat Penguins?
  • How Do Lions Reproduce and How Often Do Lions Mate?

Filed Under: Animals

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What is Bear-Baiting, How Did it Originate, and What Kind of Bear Did They Use For Bear-Baiting?
Next Post: What is the Biggest Bear in the World, Where Does it Live, and Are Grizzly Bears the Biggest Bear? »

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