Origin, Meaning, And History Of Barbara
Barbara is a popular name derived from the feminine form of the Greek word ‘barbaros’, which means ‘stranger’ or ‘foreign.’ The term ‘barbaros’ was initially used by Greeks to describe all foreigners, including the Romans. However, as they engaged more with other civilizations, the name began to take on a broader meaning.
St. Barbara is a prominent figure in the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox traditions and bears this name. She is said to have been martyred by her father, Dioscorus, who was, in turn, killed by lightning. St. Barbara is revered as the patron saint of architects, geologists, stonemasons, and artillerymen. According to historical accounts, the name was almost extinct in England after the protestant reformation but was revived in the 19th century.
Barbara has several variants, such as Barbra, Barbe, and Varvara, and some cute nicknames like Barb, Babe, Babs, Babsy, and Barbie. In modern times, Barbara and its variants have become popular names for baby girls across several countries in contemporary times, such as Chile, Poland, Slovakia, Russia, Estonia, Georgia, and Hungary, among others.
The name Barbara has made several appearances in popular culture. Barbara Allen is a traditional folk song that is popular throughout the English-speaking world. There are several songs by several different artists of the same name.
Characters named Barabara have also appeared in several works by Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray. Barbara Undershaft is the idealistic protagonist of the George Bernard Shaw play Major Barbara. Barbara “Barb” Holland was a recurring character in Season one of the hit Netflix show Stranger Things.
Barbara
Girl
Christianity
Latin, Slovene
7
Three
1 word, 7 letters, 3 vowels, 4 consonants
Medium length and moderately easy to pronounce
How To Pronounce Barbara?
The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.
Listen to the sound of the name Barbara in English.
Famous People With The Name Barbara
- Barbara Joan “Barbra” StreisandAmerican singer, actress, one of the few performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony
- Barbara Sue BoxerAmerican politician and lobbyist, served in the United States Senate
- Barbara Jill WaltersAmerican broadcast journalist and television personality, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the NATAS
- Barbara StanwyckAmerican actress, model, and dancer, received an Honorary Oscar in 1982
- Barbara McClintockAmerican scientist and cytogeneticist, received Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983
Barbara On The Popularity Chart
Barbara was one of the most preferred baby names among parents during the early 1980s. However, the name’s popularity declined in subsequent years, reaching its lowest in 2021.
Popularity Over Time
The name experienced the steepest decline between 1981 and 1986. Take a look at the graph below for more insights.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
In 1980, Barbara held the 120th position on the popularity chart, but its ranking has consistently decreased over time, hitting a low point of 933 in 2019.
Source: Social Security AdministrationBarbara On MomJunction Popularity Chart
Know how popular the name Barbara is among the MomJunction readers. We used a unique approach to gather relevant insights for creating this popularity chart by observing the interactions and interest around the name on our platform. See what the trend has been among our readers over these past years.
Names With Similar Sound As Barbara
Barbara represents grit and tenacity. Below is a list of names that convey a similar sense of resilience.
Popular Sibling Names For Barbara
If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Barbara, check our suggestions here.
Boy Sibling Names For Barbara
Find matching brother names for Barbara and create a wonderful team of siblings.
BarbarosBarbro Berberich Bharpur Birapaar Birprem Paarbrahm Parbrahm Paribhar Paripreet Girl Sibling Names For Barbara
Looking for some suitable sister names for Barbara? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.
BarabalBarabara Barb Barba Barbare Barbary Barbata Barbel Barberella Barbery Other Popular Names Beginning With B
Looking for more baby names starting with the letter B to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.
Names With Same Meaning As Barbara
Barbara emanates an enduring and majestic aura. Find below some names that convey a similar sense of grandeur.
Popular Songs On The Name Barbara
Acrostic Poem On Barbara
Dive into the lyrical charm of the name Barbara with this acrostic poem. Witness how each letter paints together a story, capturing the name’s individuality, strength, vitality, and sophistication. Inspiring, is it? Why not try a similar poem that describes what you think of your baby’s personality?
Benevolent with the biggest heart.
Artistic and altruistic and you are so futuristic.
Rosy-cheeked and bright-eyed, rousing hearts with soft kisses.
Brave and carrying a legacy of courage and fearless spirit.
Adventurous and echoing the spirit of exploration.
Royal and regal, you are meant to soar high like an eagle.
Adorable like a sweet-smelling rose.
Barbara’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology
Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name Barbara. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.
Zodiac Sign (Rashi)
As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.
| Rashi (zodiac sign) | Vrishabha (Taurus) |
|---|---|
| Starting letters for Vrishabha (Taurus) rashi | B, V, U, W |
| Representation | Bull |
| Element | Earth |
| Ruling body | Venus |
| Quality | Fixed (sthira) |
Birth Star (Nakshatra)
Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.
The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Vrishabha (Taurus) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.
| Nakshatra | Degrees Of The Nakshatra | Nakshatra Lord (Ruler) | Name Syllables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krittika (Karthikai, Krithika) | Taurus (0 to 10 degrees) | Sun | Aa, Ae, E, Ee, Ai, A, I, Oo, U |
| Rohini | Taurus (10 to 23.20 degrees) | Moon | O, Va, Vaa, Vi, Vee, Wa, Wu |
| Mrigashira (Makayiram, Mrigasira) | Taurus (23.20 to 30 degrees) | Mars | Ve, Vo, Ka, Kaa, Ki, Kee, We, Wo |
Infographic: Know The Name Barbara‘s Personality As Per Numerology
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
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Barbara In Different Languages
It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell Barbara in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying Barbara, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!
| Name | Language | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Barbara | English | en |
| 芭芭拉 | Chinese | zh-CN |
| बारबरा | Hindi | hi |
| Barbara | Spanish | es |
| Barbara | French | fr |
| باربرا | Arabic | ar |
| বারবারা | Bengali | bn |
| Barbara | Portuguese | pt |
| Барбара | Russian | ru |
| باربرا | Urdu | ur |
| Barbara | Indonesian | id |
| Barbara | German | de |
| バーバラ | Japanese | ja |
| बारबरा | Marathi | mr |
| బార్బరా | Telugu | te |
| Barbara | Turkish | tr |
| பார்பரா | Tamil | ta |
| Barbara | Vietnamese | vi |
| Barbara | Tagalog | tl |
| 바바라 | Korean | ko |
| Barbara | Hausa | ha |
| Barbara | Swahili | sw |
| Barbara | Javanese | jv |
| Barbara | Italian | it |
| ਬਾਰਬਰਾ | Punjabi | pa |
| બાર્બરા | Gujarati | gu |
| บาร์บาร่า | Thai | th |
| ಬಾರ್ಬರಾ | Kannada | kn |
| ባርባራ | Amharic | am |
| बारबरा | Bhojpuri | bho |
| Barbara | Yoruba | yo |
How To Communicate The Name Barbara In Sign Languages
In Nautical Flags
barbara
In Sign Language
barbara
In Braille Alphabet
barbara
In Morse Code
barbara
Name Numerology For Barbara
Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name Barbara, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.
Baby Name Lists Containing Barbara
Read through our baby name lists that include the name Barbara and several other similar names. The wider the choice, the better your selection. Isn't it?
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Movie Titles Inspired By The Name Barbara
Discover the presence of Barbara in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.
| Movie title | Other titles | Release year |
|---|---|---|
| Spoons: A Santa Barbara Story | 2019 | |
| Tezuka's Barbara | Barbara, Barubora, ばるぼら, 手塚治虫迷幻少女 | 2019 |
| Barbara Rubin and the Exploding NY Underground | Η Μπάρμπαρα Ρούμπιν και η εκρηκτική underground σκηνή της ΝΥ | 2018 |
| Who is Barbara Virginia? | Quem é Bárbara Virgínia? | 2017 |
| Barbara: Chansons pour une absente | Barbara, die Lady des französischen Chansons | 2017 |
| Barbara ed io | 2015 | |
| Santa Barbara | サンタバーバラ | 2014 |
| Barbara | Déjame con amor, La scelta di Barbara, Μπαρμπαρά, Барбара, バルバラ セーヌの黒いバラ, 東ベルリンから来た女, 為愛出走, 芭芭拉 | 2012 |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Barbara?
The name Barbara means stranger, visitor, or alien.
2. What is the origin of the name Barbara?
Barbara has Latin and Slovene origin.
3. How to pronounce the name Barbara?
Barbara is pronounced as bar-ba-ra.
4. Are there any famous songs or books that mention the name Barbara?
The song “Barbara Ann” by The Beach Boys became an iconic rock ‘n’ roll hit in the 1960s. Dolly Parton’s album Jolene includes the song “Barbara On Your Mind.” Barbara Allen is a well-known traditional folk song cherished in English-speaking countries. Notable literary works by Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray also feature characters named Barbara. Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven book series also includes a character named Barbara
5. Is the name Barbara more commonly used for girls or boys?
The name Barbara is predominantly used for girls. Historically, Barbara is a traditional feminine name and remains popular as a feminine name.
6. Are there any significant name variations or translations of Barbara in different languages?
The name Barbara has several variants across cultures and languages. They include Barbra, Barbe, and Varvara. Other popular options are Barb, Babe, Babs, Babsy, and Barbie.
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