Barbara is a feminine given name of Latin origin that means "foreign" or "strange." It comes from the word "barbarus," which was used by the Greeks and Romans to refer to non-Greek or non-Roman people, especially those who spoke languages other than Greek or Latin.
The name Barbara gained popularity in the Middle Ages due to a Christian legend about Saint Barbara. According to the story, Barbara was a young woman from a wealthy family who converted to Christianity and refused to marry a pagan man chosen by her father. She was then imprisoned by her father and eventually killed for her faith. After her death, she was recognized as a saint, and her name became associated with beauty and faith.
The name Barbara has been used in various forms throughout history. In the Middle Ages, it was often spelled "Barbara" or "Bárbara." In France, it was sometimes spelled "Barbe," while in Italy, it might appear as "Barbarotta" or "Barbaretta." Today, it is still a popular name around the world, with variations such as Barbara, Babara, Barbora, and Barbaree being used.
Some famous people named Barbara include actresses Barbara Streisand and Barbara Bain, author Barbara Kingsolver, and artist Barbara Hepworth. However, despite its popularity and long history, Barbara remains a unique and distinctive name that stands out from the crowd.
The name Barbara experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the given time period, with a total of 1,436,052 babies named Barbara born during this time. The name began with modest figures in the late 19th century, ranging from 127 to 338 births per year between 1880 and 1900.
However, in the early 20th century, the popularity of the name Barbara surged dramatically. By 1914, over 2,000 babies were named Barbara annually, reaching a peak of 7,375 births in 1917. This trend continued until the late 1920s, with over 6,000 births per year on average between 1920 and 1929.
After World War II, the popularity of the name Barbara started to decline gradually. By the mid-1950s, annual births had dropped below 3,000. This decline continued throughout the following decades, with the number of babies named Barbara falling below 1,000 per year by the early 1970s.
Since then, the name Barbara has remained relatively uncommon in the United States, with fewer than 500 births recorded each year since 1983. The most recent data shows that only 276 babies were named Barbara in 2022. Overall, the popularity of the name Barbara appears to have been significantly influenced by broader trends in naming practices and may also reflect cultural shifts or changes in personal tastes over time.