Infographic of Barbara name meaning, which is “The exotic one; the stranger.” From the Greek barbaros, strange, foreign, etc. To the ancient Greeks and Romans, anyone who did not speak their language, or did not speak it well, was “barbarous,” without the implications which the term bears now. It merely designated the person as a “barbar” or stranger.
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Barbara Name Popularity

How popular is the name Barbara? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 — 573 0.1627%
1911 — 705 0.1893%
1912 — 1,161 0.2302%
1913 — 1,442 0.2543%
1914 — 2,052 0.2944%
1915 — 2,698 0.297%
1916 — 3,106 0.3215%
1917 — 3,528 0.3526%
1918 — 4,223 0.3935%
1919 — 4,084 0.39%
1920 — 5,102 0.4589%
1921 — 6,011 0.5249%
1922 — 6,271 0.5629%
1923 — 7,205 0.6433%
1924 — 8,303 0.715%
1925 — 9,154 0.8099%
1926 — 11,076 1.007%
1927 — 13,162 1.1891%
1928 — 14,872 1.3899%
1929 — 16,033 1.5479%
1930 — 18,281 1.7501%
1931 — 21,794 2.2082%
1932 — 26,311 2.6632%
1933 — 26,950 2.8927%
1934 — 29,230 3.0237%
1935 — 30,693 3.1584%
1936 — 31,677 3.2884%
1937 — 34,907 3.5425%
1938 — 39,277 3.8367%
1939 — 37,258 3.6628%
1940 — 36,733 3.4559%
1941 — 39,537 3.5129%
1942 — 44,734 3.5425%
1943 — 43,428 3.3266%
1944 — 39,195 3.1625%
1945 — 38,276 3.1385%
1946 — 45,123 3.058%
1947 — 48,791 2.9229%
1948 — 46,827 2.9333%
1949 — 42,598 2.6481%
1950 — 41,557 2.581%
1951 — 40,621 2.3958%
1952 — 39,871 2.2841%
1953 — 38,460 2.1731%
1954 — 36,374 1.9898%
1955 — 33,602 1.8268%
1956 — 32,303 1.7103%
1957 — 29,683 1.5426%
1958 — 27,879 1.4751%
1959 — 25,356 1.3346%
1960 — 24,444 1.2901%
1961 — 22,990 1.2177%
1962 — 20,644 1.1245%
1963 — 18,289 1.0189%
1964 — 16,477 0.9361%
1965 — 14,027 0.8578%
1966 — 13,121 0.8404%
1967 — 11,205 0.7384%
1968 — 9,744 0.6489%
1969 — 8,808 0.5717%
1970 — 8,026 0.5043%
1971 — 6,453 0.4294%
1972 — 5,081 0.3731%
1973 — 4,437 0.3422%
1974 — 3,905 0.3004%
1975 — 3,452 0.2686%
1976 — 2,968 0.2303%
1977 — 2,836 0.2104%
1978 — 2,574 0.1915%
1979 — 2,478 0.1757%
1980 — 2,568 0.1756%
1981 — 2,522 0.1716%
1982 — 2,338 0.1565%
1983 — 2,013 0.1364%
1984 — 1,858 0.1249%
1985 — 1,664 0.1096%
1986 — 1,459 0.0967%
1987 — 1,618 0.106%
1988 — 1,478 0.0948%
1989 — 1,477 0.0915%
1990 — 1,362 0.0822%
1991 — 1,217 0.0747%
1992 — 1,093 0.0685%
1993 — 924 0.0593%
1994 — 832 0.0542%
1995 — 717 0.0476%
1996 — 632 0.0422%
1997 — 663 0.0448%
1998 — 531 0.0355%
1999 — 506 0.0338%
2000 — 472 0.0309%
2001 — 445 0.0295%
2002 — 438 0.0292%
2003 — 388 0.0255%
2004 — 371 0.0243%
2005 — 364 0.0238%
2006 — 495 0.0316%
2007 — 444 0.0281%
2008 — 347 0.0225%
2009 — 411 0.0275%
2010 — 370 0.0257%
2011 — 323 0.0227%
2012 — 235 0.0165%
2013 — 272 0.0191%
2014 — 259 0.0178%
2015 — 267 0.0184%
2016 — 274 0.019%
2017 — 246 0.0176%
2018 — 229 0.0167%
2019 — 224 0.0165%
2020 — 247 0.0194%
2021 — 214 0.0175%
2022 — 223 0.0169%
2023 — 256 0.0198%

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Data via SSA.gov.


Names Like Barbara

If you like Barbara, you’ll love these other names like Barbara.


What names are diminutives of Barbara?

A diminutive is a name that’s like Barbara sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Barbara, but shorter.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Bab

Foreign woman

Latin

Babette

Among English-speaking peoples, a diminutive of Barbara (“the stranger”); in French, a diminutive of Elizabeth (“God is my oath”).

French

Babs

Foreign woman

Latin


What names are variants of Barbara?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Barbara.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Bab

Foreign woman

Latin

Baba

Foreign woman

Latin

Babara

Foreign woman

Latin

Babb

Foreign woman

Latin

Babbett

Foreign woman

Latin

Babbette

Foreign woman

Latin

Babbie

Foreign woman

Latin

Babe

Greek

Babett

Foreign woman

Latin

Babette

Among English-speaking peoples, a diminutive of Barbara (“the stranger”); in French, a diminutive of Elizabeth (“God is my oath”).

French

Babita

Foreign woman

Latin

Babs

Foreign woman

Latin

Baibin

Foreign woman

Latin

Barabara

Foreign woman

Latin

Barb

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbar

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbarella

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbarit

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbarita

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbeeleen

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbel

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbera

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbette

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbey

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbi

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbie

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbora

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbra

Foreign woman

Latin

Barbro

Foreign woman

Latin

Barby

Foreign woman

Latin

Barra
Basha

Stranger

Polish

Basia

Foreign woman; stranger

Polish

Baubie

Foreign woman; bright fame

Latin

Bauby

Foreign woman

Latin

Beba

Foreign woman

Latin

Bebe

Foreign woman; voyager (through life); blessed; lady of the house

Persian

Berbera

Foreign woman

Latin

Berberia

Foreign woman

Latin

Berberya

Foreign woman

Latin

Berbya

Foreign woman

Latin

Bibi

Lady of the house

Persian

Bobbe

Foreign woman; bright fame

Latin

Bobbee

Foreign woman; bright fame

Latin

Bobbi

Foreign woman

Latin

Bobbie

Bright fame

English

Bobby

Foreign woman; bright fame

Latin

Bonni

Foreign woman; fine, attractive, pretty

Scottish

Bonnie

Fine, attractive, pretty

Scottish

Bonny

Foreign woman; pretty; fine, attractive, pretty

Spanish

Borbala

Foreigner

Hungarian

Varina

Foreigner

Slavic

Varvara

Greek


What names are similar to Barbara?

Find a name that’s like Barbara, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Barinda

Modern

Bunny

Rabbit

English

Wava

Stranger

Slavic


Lists With Barbara

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Barbara.


2 Comments

  1. She is named after her beautiful and wonderful grandmother.

  2. Shes named after her great grandma so it has meaning to it for us her middle name is marie which means mary after my mother


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