Barclay is an English surname and given name, derived from Scottish Gaelic 'Bearcalaich', which means "stranger". The name was originally a patronymic surname, referring to the son of Bearcail or Barclay. Over time, it has also been used as a given name for males in several English-speaking countries.
The name Barclay experienced fluctuations in popularity during the late 1960s and early 1970s, with a notable peak in 1969 (9 births) before declining to consistently lower numbers thereafter (5 births each in 1970, 1974, and 1976). Over this period, a total of 24 babies were named Barclay.