Barrett is a masculine given name of English origin. It is derived from the Norman French word "barète," which means "bear cub." The name was introduced to England by the Normans after the Norman Conquest in 1066.
In medieval times, Barrett was often used as a nickname for someone who had the courage and strength of a bear. The name has also been associated with bears in other ways, such as through coats of arms that feature bear symbols.
Historically, the name Barrett has been popular among families of Norman descent in England. It is also found in Ireland, where it was brought by English settlers. Today, Barrett is still used as a given name, but it is not particularly common. According to data from the Social Security Administration, only about 18 boys were named Barrett in the United States each year between 2000 and 2019.
Some notable individuals with the name Barrett include American singer-songwriter Barrett Strong, English actor Matthew Barrett, and Australian rules footballer Mark Barrett. However, it is important to note that these people are not necessarily representative of the typical characteristics or achievements associated with the name Barrett, as names do not determine an individual's personality or destiny.
In summary, Barrett is a masculine given name of English origin that means "bear cub." It was brought to England by the Normans and has historically been popular among families of Norman descent. Today, it is still used as a given name but is not particularly common. The name has no specific association with any particular traits or achievements, as these are determined by individual personality and experiences rather than names.
The name Barrett experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years. It started with a low of 5 births in 1965 and 1980, reaching its first peak of 17 births in 1993. After several years of moderate popularity, it surged again to reach an all-time high of 36 births in 2018, followed by another peak of 35 births in 2021. Overall, there were a total of 924 births named Barrett from 1965 to 2023.