Girl
Barbara
foreign, strange
About Barbara
This classic name carries an enduring elegance that transcends generations. Barbara evokes images of strength combined with grace, a name that has adorned remarkable women throughout history. It possesses a timeless quality that refuses to fade with passing trends, offering your daughter a foundation of traditional beauty while remaining entirely accessible in modern contexts. The name flows naturally in conversation, neither too ornate nor too simple. Barbara suggests reliability and warmth, characteristics that parents often hope to inspire in their children. Its familiar sound creates instant connection, yet it stands distinct enough to avoid confusion in classrooms and playgroups. The gentle consonants and vowels blend harmoniously, creating a pleasing rhythm when spoken aloud. For parents seeking a name with substance and staying power, Barbara represents an excellent choice that honors heritage while providing a confident identity for the future.
Popularity of the Name Barbara
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #128 | ||||
| 1881 | #124 | ||||
| 1882 | #138 | ||||
| 1883 | #142 | ||||
| 1884 | #128 | ||||
| 1885 | #129 | ||||
| 1886 | #133 | ||||
| 1887 | #132 | ||||
| 1888 | #135 | ||||
| 1889 | #140 | ||||
| 1890 | #147 | ||||
| 1891 | #152 | ||||
| 1892 | #147 | ||||
| 1893 | #155 | ||||
| 1894 | #151 | ||||
| 1895 | #150 | ||||
| 1896 | #145 | ||||
| 1897 | #153 | ||||
| 1898 | #164 | ||||
| 1899 | #165 | ||||
| 1900 | #162 | #106 | |||
| 1901 | #164 | #130 | |||
| 1902 | #163 | #87 | |||
| 1903 | #151 | #102 | |||
| 1904 | #151 | #97 | |||
| 1905 | #154 | #113 | |||
| 1906 | #142 | #110 | |||
| 1907 | #129 | #96 | |||
| 1908 | #135 | #112 | |||
| 1909 | #126 | #90 | |||
| 1910 | #136 | #100 | |||
| 1911 | #119 | #87 | |||
| 1912 | #102 | #87 | |||
| 1913 | #94 | #79 | |||
| 1914 | #82 | #71 | |||
| 1915 | #83 | #68 | |||
| 1916 | #74 | #57 | |||
| 1917 | #67 | #66 | |||
| 1918 | #60 | #60 | |||
| 1919 | #60 | #48 | |||
| 1920 | #47 | #63 | |||
| 1921 | #40 | #51 | |||
| 1922 | #40 | #51 | |||
| 1923 | #33 | #37 | |||
| 1924 | #28 | #35 | |||
| 1925 | #22 | #26 | |||
| 1926 | #16 | #26 | |||
| 1927 | #10 | #18 | |||
| 1928 | #8 | #17 | |||
| 1929 | #7 | #15 | |||
| 1930 | #6 | #13 | |||
| 1931 | #4 | #11 | |||
| 1932 | #3 | #7 | |||
| 1933 | #3 | #7 | |||
| 1934 | #3 | #6 | |||
| 1935 | #3 | #6 | |||
| 1936 | #3 | #6 | |||
| 1937 | #2 | #6 | |||
| 1938 | #2 | #3 | |||
| 1939 | #2 | #4 | |||
| 1940 | #2 | #4 | |||
| 1941 | #2 | #4 | |||
| 1942 | #2 | #4 | |||
| 1943 | #2 | #6 | |||
| 1944 | #2 | #6 | |||
| 1945 | #3 | #6 | |||
| 1946 | #4 | #6 | |||
| 1947 | #4 | #9 | |||
| 1948 | #3 | #5 | |||
| 1949 | #4 | #8 | |||
| 1950 | #4 | #10 | |||
| 1951 | #5 | #10 | |||
| 1952 | #6 | #10 | |||
| 1953 | #6 | #12 | |||
| 1954 | #7 | #10 | |||
| 1955 | #7 | #10 | |||
| 1956 | #9 | #12 | |||
| 1957 | #9 | #17 | |||
| 1958 | #9 | #17 | |||
| 1959 | #11 | #21 | |||
| 1960 | #12 | #22 | |||
| 1961 | #12 | #33 | |||
| 1962 | #14 | #41 | |||
| 1963 | #17 | #44 | |||
| 1964 | #19 | #47 | #43 | ||
| 1965 | #25 | #73 | #45 | ||
| 1966 | #27 | #66 | #48 | ||
| 1967 | #33 | #61 | #45 | ||
| 1968 | #36 | #80 | #47 | ||
| 1969 | #39 | #89 | #56 | ||
| 1970 | #41 | #127 | #59 | ||
| 1971 | #47 | #98 | #49 | ||
| 1972 | #58 | #102 | #54 | ||
| 1973 | #63 | #142 | #68 | ||
| 1974 | #77 | #136 | #64 | ||
| 1975 | #83 | #207 | #71 | ||
| 1976 | #98 | #163 | #67 | ||
| 1977 | #101 | #163 | #71 | ||
| 1978 | #113 | #191 | #74 | ||
| 1979 | #123 | #169 | #84 | ||
| 1980 | #120 | #203 | #96 | ||
| 1981 | #119 | #211 | #79 | ||
| 1982 | #130 | #189 | #103 | ||
| 1983 | #143 | #295 | #117 | ||
| 1984 | #152 | #235 | #100 | ||
| 1985 | #169 | #323 | #124 | ||
| 1986 | #180 | #313 | #144 | ||
| 1987 | #172 | #318 | #164 | ||
| 1988 | #185 | #297 | #185 | ||
| 1989 | #186 | #172 | |||
| 1990 | #207 | #208 | |||
| 1991 | #229 | #224 | #326 | ||
| 1992 | #247 | #398 | #229 | #311 | |
| 1993 | #291 | #360 | #387 | ||
| 1994 | #312 | #214 | #405 | ||
| 1995 | #347 | #357 | #374 | ||
| 1996 | #388 | #435 | #457 | ||
| 1997 | #378 | #990 | #365 | #589 | |
| 1998 | #447 | #382 | #626 | ||
| 1999 | #468 | #563 | |||
| 2000 | #505 | #470 | #800 | ||
| 2001 | #533 | #512 | #724 | ||
| 2002 | #541 | #744 | |||
| 2003 | #614 | #675 | #766 | ||
| 2004 | #623 | #951 | |||
| 2005 | #674 | #707 | #918 | ||
| 2006 | #538 | #784 | |||
| 2007 | #618 | ||||
| 2008 | #747 | #603 | |||
| 2009 | #639 | #442 | |||
| 2010 | #692 | #555 | |||
| 2011 | #746 | #941 | #395 | ||
| 2012 | #894 | #562 | |||
| 2013 | #831 | #749 | |||
| 2014 | #848 | #881 | |||
| 2015 | #850 | #321 | #929 | ||
| 2016 | #856 | #589 | |||
| 2017 | #890 | #736 | |||
| 2018 | #921 | #797 | #620 | ||
| 2019 | #922 | #622 | |||
| 2020 | #886 | #488 | |||
| 2021 | #904 | #872 | |||
| 2022 | #967 | #743 | |||
| 2023 | #871 | #853 | |||
| 2024 | #853 | ||||
| 2025 | #968 |
Top names by country: United States · United Kingdom · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Barbara
- Barbra
- Barb
- Barbel
- Barbie
Names Similar to Barbara
Nicknames for Barbara
- Barb
- Barbie
- Babs
- Barby
- Bebe
Famous People Named Barbara
| Barbara Walters | American broadcast journalist |
| Barbara Stanwyck | American actress |
| Barbara Jordan | American politician and civil rights leader |
| Barbara McClintock | American scientist and Nobel laureate |
| Barbara Cartland | English author |
| Barbara Eden | American actress |
| Barbara Morgan | American astronaut |
| Barbara Corcoran | American businesswoman and TV personality |
| Barbara Kingsolver | American novelist |
| Barbara Bach | American actress |
| Barbara Bush | Former First Lady of the United States |
| Barbara Hershey | American actress |
| Barbara Cook | American singer and actress |
| Barbara Bel Geddes | American actress |
| Barbara Tuchman | American historian and author |
| Barbara Steele | British actress |
| Barbara Windsor | English actress |
| Barbara Parkins | Canadian-American actress |
| Barbara Hutton | American socialite and heiress |
| Barbara Liskov | American computer scientist and Turing Award winner |
Characters Named Barbara
| Barbara Gordon | aka Batgirl from DC Comics |
| Barbara Maitland | from the movie "Beetlejuice" |
| Barbara Covett | from the book and movie "Notes on a Scandal" |
| Barbara Thorson | from the graphic novel and movie "I Kill Giants" |
| Barbara Weston-Fordham | from the play and movie "August - Osage County" |
| Barbara Holland | from the TV series "Stranger Things" |
| Barbara Wright | from the TV series "Doctor Who" |
| Barbara Novak | from the movie "Down with Love" |
| Barbara Jean Trenton | from the TV series "The Twilight Zone" |
| Barbara Palvin | fictionalized version of the real-life model in the TV series "Riverdale" |
| Barbara Minerva | aka Cheetah from DC Comics |
| Barbara Wilson | aka Batgirl from the movie "Batman & Robin" |
| Barbara Millicent Roberts | full name of the iconic doll Barbie |
| Barbara Gorden | from the video game "Night in the Woods" |
| Barbara Weston | from the play and movie "August - Osage County" |
| Barbara Daly Baekeland | from the movie "Savage Grace" |
| Barbara Ross | from the TV series "Stranger Things" |
| Barbara "Babs" Jensen | from the TV series "The Fairly OddParents" |
| Barbara "Barb" Holland | from the TV series "Stranger Things" |
| Barbara "Barbie" Ferreira | fictionalized version of the real-life actress in the TV series "Euphoria" |