Baer

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who carries, holds, or conveys something, such as a pallbearer or standard-bearer
2. Someone who bears a burden, responsibility, or token such as a flag or symbol
3. A person who carries or supports something, whether physically or in a symbolic capacity

Etymology: Old English "bǣr" meant a litter or stand for carrying a corpse or a load. The modern "bier," the frame that carries a coffin, keeps that sense. The word belongs to the same family as the verb "bear," so a bier is literally a thing for bearing. As a surname, Baer most often comes from German "Bär," meaning bear. It was often a nickname for a strong or fierce man, or a name taken from a house sign. In Jewish communities in German-speaking lands, it frequently reflects the Yiddish personal name Ber, which also means bear. The English-language Old English word and the German surname are separate lines that happen to share a meaning, so the two should not be treated as one history.