Barbara
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Barbara
Barbara is back and among the fastest-rising names of recent years! Credit goes to 2023's breakout movie Barbie, which gave a new stylish feel to the classic Barbara and set it up to rank alongside clunky, retro choices like Deborah, Marjorie, Marilyn, and Dorothy.
Rooted in ancient Greek and ranking in the Top 10 in the US throughout the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, Barbara has the same root as the word barbarian, meaning stranger or foreigner. There is the popular third century St. Barbara, who was reputed to have been imprisoned in a tower and may have been the inspiration for Rapunzel. She became the patron of architects, stonemasons, fortifications, and geologists, and protects against fire and lightning.
the name has appeared in works by Dickens, Ellen Wood, and Thackeray and, most notably, as the idealistic protagonist of the George Bernard Shaw play Major Barbara. Noteworthy bearers include real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran, actress Barbara Stanwyck (born Ruby), novelist Barbara Pym, TV's Barbara Walters, and "My Name is Barbra" Streisand. Barbara Gordon was the original Batgirl in the comic books.
And the of course there's Barbie, though today, Bebe, Bobbie, or even Babs might make a cuter retro nickname.
Barbara is also given to boys.
Pronounced BAR-buh-ruh.
As of October 2026, Barbara ranked #968 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #2 in 1943, Nameberry popularity #848.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · girls | Births · girls | US rank · boys | Births · boys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #849 | 325 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #853 | 327 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #855 | 329 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #894 | 301 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #920 | 291 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #922 | 287 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #887 | 300 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #904 | 299 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #966 | 276 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #876 | 307 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #860 | 313 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #968 | 264 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Barbara for girls
Similar names
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Barbara on lists
Famous Barbaras
- Saint BarbaraGirl
3rd century martyr
- Barbara of PortugalGirl
Queen consort of Ferdinand VI of Spain
- Barbara of AustriaGirl
Duchess consort of Alfonso II d'Este of Ferrara
- Barbara Pierce BushGirl
former U.S. First Lady
- Barbara Pierce Bush CoyneGirl
daughter of former US President George W. Bush and twin of Jenna Bush Hager
- Barbara Levy BoxerGirl
U.S. Senator from California
- Barbara Ann MikulskiGirl
U.S. Senator from Maryland
- Barbara WaltersGirl
American broadcast journalist
- Barbara LuddyGirl
American actress
- Barbara Stanwyck (born Ruby Catherine Stevens)Girl
American actress
- Eleanor "Barbara" McClintockGirl
American cytogeneticist and Nobel Prize winner
- (Mary) Barbara (Hamilton) CartlandGirl
English novelist
- Barbara Jean (Morehead) EdenGirl
American actress
- Barbara Schett EagleGirl
Austrian tennis player
- Barbara RittnerGirl
German tennis player
- Barbara Woolworth HuttonGirl
American heiress
- Barbara PalvinGirl
Hungarian fashion model
- Barbara Jo WalkerGirl
Miss America 1947
- Bárbara Micheline do Monte BarbosaGirl
Brazilian football player
- Barbara FialhoGirl
Brazilian model
- Barbara FerreiraGirl
American model
- Barbara MooreGirl
American Model Playboy Playmate of the Month for December 1992,
- Barbara BaldieriGirl
American actress
Barbara in pop culture
- Barbara Millicent "Barbie" RobertsGirl
fashion doll made by Mattel
- Barbara Gordon aka Oracle and BatgirlGirl
character in the "Batman" series
- Barbara Eileen Kean GordonGirl
mother of Barbara Gordon; wife of Commissioner Gordon
- Barbara FazlinovicGirl
character in Bosnian TV's "The Crazy, Confused & Normal"
- Barbara BrownsteinGirl
character on TV's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody"
- Barbara WrightGirl
companion on TV's "Doctor Who" 1963,65
- Barbara CovettGirl
character from "Notes on a Scandal"
- Barbara BargaGirl
character from "SS,GB"
- Barbara GilbertGirl
main character on TV's "Call the Midwife"
- Barbara "Bebe" StevensGirl
character in "South Park"
- Barbara "Bobbi" MorseGirl
character in Marvel comics and "Agents of SHIELD"
- Barbara "Barb" HollandGirl
character in Netflix's Stranger Things
- Barbara LakeGirl
character in the Netflix series "Trollhunters"
- "Barbara AnnGirl
" song by the Beach Boys
- "Barbara AllenGirl
" folk ballad
- "Please Don't Ask About BarbaraGirl
" song by Bobby Vee
- Barbara "Barb" Azure BairdGirl
character in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes