Ancient Macedonian form of the Greek name Φερενικη (Pherenike), which meant "bringing victory" from φερω (phero) "to bring" and νικη (nike) "victory". This name was common among the Ptolemy ruling family of Egypt. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament (in most English Bibles it is spelled Bernice) belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II. As an English name, Berenice came into use after the Protestant Reformation.