The nameBarbara

Meaning

Barbara comes from the Greek barbaros, "foreign".

Origin

Greek.

History

Saint Barbara is the patron of miners and firefighters. In the United States Barbara was in the top 10 from 1927 to 1958, reaching 2nd place in 1937.

Famous people named Barbara

• Saint Barbara
• Barbara Walters, journalist
• Barbara Hepworth, sculptor
• Barbara Hendricks, soprano

Popularity of the name Barbara

Barbara in the United States

Barbara was most popular in the United States in the 1940s, with 426,425 births over the decade, 30% of all recorded babies named Barbara. Its rise began around 1920, and it peaked in 1947. Half of all babies named Barbara in the United States were born before 1947, so it is mostly a grandparents' generation name. Over the last five years on record, its popularity has held steady at around 299 births a year.

Barbara in the United Kingdom

Barbara was most popular in the United Kingdom in the 2010s, with 327 births over the decade, 48% of all recorded babies named Barbara. Half of all babies named Barbara in the United Kingdom were born before 2012, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 17 births a year on average, against 33 in the five years before.

Barbara in Ireland

Barbara in France

Barbara in Austria

Barbara in Norway