Bergman

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Refers to Ingmar Bergman, the Swedish filmmaker and stage director known for introspective works such as The Seventh Seal
2. A surname associated most famously with Ingmar Bergman, the influential Swedish director of intimate, philosophical cinema
3. The name of a Swedish film and theatre director celebrated for probing dramas about faith, mortality and human relationships

Etymology: "Bergman" is a surname, and its parts are plain. It combines the Germanic "berg," meaning mountain or hill, with "man," so the name literally means "mountain man" or "man of the hill." Such names were often given to people who lived near or worked on a hill or rise, so the name likely began as a description of a place or local connection. The name is especially common in Sweden, where it has been carried by many families and some famous people, including the film director Ingmar Bergman and the actress Ingrid Bergman. Both bear the same surname, though they were not related. Its Swedish and German forms share the same root, reflecting the close Germanic ties of the two languages.