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 135 573 0.1627%
1911 118 705 0.1893%
1912 102 1,161 0.2302%
1913 93 1,442 0.2543%
1914 82 2,052 0.2944%
1915 83 2,698 0.297%
1916 73 3,106 0.3215%
1917 67 3,528 0.3526%
1918 60 4,223 0.3935%
1919 60 4,084 0.39%
1920 47 5,102 0.4589%
1921 40 6,011 0.5249%
1922 40 6,271 0.5629%
1923 33 7,205 0.6433%
1924 28 8,303 0.715%
1925 22 9,154 0.8099%
1926 16 11,076 1.007%
1927 10 13,162 1.1891%
1928 8 14,872 1.3899%
1929 7 16,033 1.5479%
1930 6 18,281 1.7501%
1931 4 21,794 2.2082%
1932 3 26,311 2.6632%
1933 3 26,950 2.8927%
1934 3 29,230 3.0237%
1935 3 30,693 3.1584%
1936 3 31,677 3.2884%
1937 2 34,907 3.5425%
1938 2 39,277 3.8367%
1939 2 37,258 3.6628%
1940 2 36,733 3.4559%
1941 2 39,537 3.5129%
1942 2 44,734 3.5425%
1943 2 43,428 3.3266%
1944 2 39,195 3.1625%
1945 3 38,276 3.1385%
1946 4 45,123 3.058%
1947 4 48,791 2.9229%
1948 3 46,827 2.9333%
1949 4 42,598 2.6481%
1950 4 41,557 2.581%
1951 5 40,621 2.3958%
1952 6 39,871 2.2841%
1953 6 38,460 2.1731%
1954 7 36,374 1.9898%
1955 7 33,602 1.8268%
1956 9 32,303 1.7103%
1957 9 29,683 1.5426%
1958 9 27,879 1.4751%
1959 11 25,356 1.3346%
1960 12 24,444 1.2901%
1961 12 22,990 1.2177%
1962 14 20,644 1.1245%
1963 17 18,289 1.0189%
1964 19 16,477 0.9361%
1965 25 14,027 0.8578%
1966 27 13,121 0.8404%
1967 33 11,205 0.7384%
1968 36 9,744 0.6489%
1969 39 8,808 0.5717%
1970 41 8,026 0.5043%
1971 47 6,453 0.4294%
1972 58 5,081 0.3731%
1973 63 4,437 0.3422%
1974 77 3,905 0.3004%
1975 83 3,452 0.2686%
1976 98 2,968 0.2303%
1977 100 2,836 0.2104%
1978 113 2,574 0.1915%
1979 123 2,478 0.1757%
1980 120 2,568 0.1756%
1981 119 2,522 0.1716%
1982 130 2,338 0.1565%
1983 143 2,013 0.1364%
1984 152 1,858 0.1249%
1985 169 1,664 0.1096%
1986 181 1,459 0.0967%
1987 170 1,618 0.106%
1988 187 1,478 0.0948%
1989 186 1,477 0.0915%
1990 208 1,362 0.0822%
1991 230 1,217 0.0747%
1992 249 1,093 0.0685%
1993 289 924 0.0593%
1994 312 832 0.0542%
1995 350 717 0.0476%
1996 398 632 0.0422%
1997 380 663 0.0448%
1998 455 531 0.0355%
1999 479 506 0.0338%
2000 521 472 0.0309%
2001 542 445 0.0295%
2002 558 438 0.0292%
2003 618 388 0.0255%
2004 655 371 0.0243%
2005 676 364 0.0238%
2006 549 495 0.0316%
2007 611 444 0.0281%
2008 738 347 0.0225%
2009 644 411 0.0275%
2010 678 370 0.0257%
2011 731 323 0.0227%
2012 878 235 0.0165%
2013 797 272 0.0191%
2014 849 259 0.0178%
2015 828 267 0.0184%
2016 825 274 0.019%
2017 843 246 0.0176%
2018 880 229 0.0167%
2019 870 224 0.0165%
2020 886 247 0.0194%
2021 933 214 0.0175%
2022 973 223 0.0169%

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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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