Gender:
Origin:
Greek
2655 famous people named Barbara found on Wikipedia.
1434308 female, 4138 male in US.
Most recent ranking:
930-th in year 2018
Best ranking:
2nd in year 1944
Used in: Croatian, Danish, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Late-Roman, Norwegian, Polish, Slovene, Swedish
A female given name: from a Greek word meaning “foreign, exotic.”.
Barbara is a female given name used in numerous languages. It is the feminine form of the Greek word barbaros (Greek: βάρβαρος) meaning "barbarian", see article "Barbarian" for details.
In Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox tradition, Saint Barbara was martyred by her father, who was then punished with death by lightning. As such, St. Barbara is a protectress against fire and lightning.
Today, Barbara remains among the top 100 most popular names for female babies born in Chile, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. It is among the top 10 names given to baby girls born in both the Czech Republic and Georgia in 2012. The Russian variant Varvara is also returning to popularity in former Soviet republics such as Estonia, where it ranked among the top names for girls in 2012, and in Russia, where it was the eighth most popular name for girls born in 2013 in Moscow. Its popularity in the United States has declined from third place, in the 1930s, to 838th place, in 2013, when it was used for 310 newborn American girls. The Russian form of the name, Varvara, was given to just 11 American girls in 2013.
In Italy Barbara was particularly popular during the 1970s: it is among the top 10 names given to girls born from 1969 to 1977, rising to 2nd place (behind Maria) in 1971. In the same year it was the most common name for girls born in Rome and in Bologna.
Fem. proper name, from Latin, fem. of barbarus "strange, foreign, barbarous," from Greek barbaros (see barbarian (n.)). For women, unlike men, the concept of "alien" presumably could be felt as "exotic" and thus make an appealing name. Popularized as a Christian name by the legend of Saint Barbara, early 4c. martyr, whose cult flourished from 7c. The common Middle English form was Barbary. A top 10 name in popularity for girls born in the U.S. between 1927 and 1958.
Means: stranger, foreign, foreigner, travel from a foreign land; from the Greek barbaros.
Popularity | Name | Birth Year | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Barbara Gordon | Fictional character | |
2 | Barbara Bush | 1925 | Former First Lady of the United States |
3 | Barbara Eden | 1931 | Actor, singer |
4 | Barbara Stanwyck | 1907 | American actress |
5 | Barbara Corcoran | 1949 | Real estate agent and investor |
6 | Barbara Hershey | 1948 | American actress |
7 | Barbara Windsor | 1937 | Actress |
8 | Barbara Walters | 1929 | American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality |
9 | Barbara Bach | 1947 | Actress |
10 | Barbara Pierce Bush | 1981 | Elder of the two fraternal twin daughters of 43rd President of the United States George W. Bush and Former First Lady Laura Bush |
11 | Barbara Boxer | 1940 | American politician |
12 | Barbara Hale | 1922 | American actress |
13 | Barbara Bain | 1931 | American actress |
14 | Barbara Palvin | 1993 | Hungarian fashion model |
15 | Barbara Sinatra | 1927 | American former model and showgirl; best known as the wife of Zeppo Marx, and, later, Frank Sinatra |
16 | Barbara Hutton | 1912 | Philanthropist, Heiress |
17 | Barbara Mandrell | 1948 | American country music singer and actress |
18 | Barbara Billingsley | 1915 | Actress, model |
19 | Barbara Feldon | 1933 | American actress, model and television personality |
20 | Barbara Kurdej-Szatan | 1985 | Polish actress |
21 | Barbara Bel Geddes | 1922 | American actress |
22 | Barbara Rush | 1927 | Actress |
23 | Barbara Alyn Woods | 1962 | American actress |
24 | Barbara Daly Baekeland | 1922 | American socialite |
25 | Barbara Carrera | 1945 | Nicaraguan-American model and actress |
26 | Barbara Jordan | 1936 | American politician |
27 | Barbara Minty | 1953 | American writer |
28 | Saint Barbara | 0273 | Early Christian saint and martyr, from Nicomedia |
29 | Barbara Barrie | 1931 | Actress, author |
30 | Barbara Broccoli | 1960 | American film producer |
31 | Barbara Mikulski | 1936 | American politician |
32 | Barbara Kruger | 1945 | American artist |
33 | Barbara Niven | 1953 | American actress |
34 | Barbara Parkins | 1942 | Canadian actress |
35 | Barbara Cartland | 1901 | English writer |
36 | Barbara McClintock | 1902 | American scientist and cytogeneticist |
37 | Barbara Graham | 1923 | Convicted murderer |
38 | Barbara Babcock | 1937 | American actress |
39 | Barbara Stuart | 1930 | American actress |
40 | Barbara Dunkelman | 1989 | Canadian actress |
41 | Barbara Harris | 1935 | American actress born 1935 |
42 | Barbara Anderson | 1945 | American actress |
43 | Barbara Valentin | 1940 | Austrian actress |
44 | Barbara Bouchet | 1943 | Actress and Entrepreneuse |
45 | Barbara Lee | 1946 | American politician |
46 | Barbara Berlusconi | 1984 | Businesswoman |
47 | Barbara Goodson | 1949 | American voice actress |
48 | Barbara Olson | 1955 | American lawyer |
49 | Barbara Wussow | 1961 | German actress |
50 | Barbara Payton | 1927 | American actress |
51 | Barbara Palombelli | 1953 | Italian journalist |
52 | Barbara Crampton | 1958 | American actress |
53 | Barbara Knox | 1932 | British actress |
54 | Barbara Flynn | 1948 | British actress |
55 | Barbara Dare | 1963 | American pornographic actress |
56 | Barbara Hepworth | 1903 | English sculptor |
57 | Barbara Morgan | 1951 | Astronaut |
58 | Barbara Kingsolver | 1955 | American author, poet and essayist |
59 | Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland | 1640 | English royal mistress from the Villiers family |
60 | Barbara Ruick | 1930 | Actress |
61 | Barbara Rosenblat | American stage actor | |
62 | Barbara Comstock | 1959 | American politician |
63 | Barbara Dickson | 1947 | Scottish singer and actress |
64 | Barbara Pepper | 1915 | Actress |
65 | Barbara Rhoades | 1947 | Actress |
66 | Barbara Hahlweg | 1968 | German television presenter |
67 | Barbara Cook | 1927 | American actress and singer |
68 | Barbara Schett Eagle | 1976 | Austrian tennis player |
69 | Barbara Nichols | 1928 | Actress |
70 | Barbara Ehrenreich | 1941 | American writer and journalist |
71 | Barbara Orbison | 1950 | German-American record producer and philanthropist |
72 | Barbara Dolniak | 1960 | Polish politician, deputy and judge |
73 | Barbara Mularczyk | 1984 | Polish actress |
74 | Barbara Steele | 1937 | English actress |
75 | Barbara Becker | 1966 | German fashion designer |
76 | Barbara Trentham | 1944 | American actress |
77 | Barbara Williams | 1953 | Canadian-American actress |
78 | Barbara Henry | American teacher | |
79 | Barbara W. Tuchman | 1912 | American historian and author |
80 | Barbara Colby | 1939 | Actress |
81 | BarBara Luna | 1939 | Actress |
82 | Barbara Sukowa | 1950 | German actress and singer |
83 | Barbara McNair | 1934 | Singer, actress |
84 | Barbara Shelley | 1932 | British actress |
85 | Barbara Bosson | 1939 | American actress |
86 | Barbara Park | 1947 | American juvenile author |
87 | Barbara Nedeljáková | 1979 | Slovak actress |
88 | Barbara Tarbuck | 1942 | American actress |
89 | Barbara Loden | 1932 | American actress and director |
90 | Barbara Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn | 1910 | British politician |
91 | Barbara De Fina | 1949 | American film producer |
92 | Barbara Taylor Bradford | 1933 | British author |
93 | Barbara Salesch | 1950 | Jurist and actor |
94 | Barbara Bates | 1925 | Actress |
95 | Barbara Kwiatkowska-Lass | 1940 | 1940-1995 Polish actress |
96 | Barbara De Bortoli | 1971 | Italian actress and voice actress |
97 | Barbara Starr | American journalist | |
98 | Barbara Luddy | 1908 | American actress |
99 | Barbara La Marr | 1896 | Actress |
100 | Barbara Hogan | 1952 | South African politician |
101 | Barbara Leigh | 1946 | Former American actress and model |
102 | Barbara Winiarska | 1952 | Polish actress |
103 | Barbara Hall | 1960 | American musician, writer and producer |
104 | Barbara Lerner Spectre | 1942 | Israeli academic |
105 | Barbara Liskov | 1939 | American computer scientist |
106 | Barbara West | 1911 | Survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic |
107 | Barbara Britton | 1919 | American film and television actress |
108 | Barbara Stager | 1948 | American murderer |
109 | Barbara Ann Crancer | 1938 | American judge |
110 | Barbara Hannigan | 1971 | Canadian operatic soprano |
111 | Barbara J. Fields | Historian | |
112 | Barbara Yung | 1959 | Hong Kong actress |
113 | Barbara Lewis | 1943 | Singer-songwriter |
114 | Barbara Fialho | 1987 | Brazilian model |
115 | Barbara Jane Harrison | 1945 | Air hostess and recipient of the George Cross |
116 | Barbara O'Neil | 1910 | Actress |
117 | Barbara Parodi Delfino | 1959 | Italian journalist |
118 | Barbara Frum | 1937 | Canadian journalist |
119 | Barbara Bennett | 1906 | Actress |
120 | Barbara Schnitzler | 1953 | German actress |
121 | Barbara Kosmal | 1973 | Polish model |
122 | Barbara T. Bowman | 1928 | Co-founder of the Erikson Institute |
123 | Barbara Mertz | 1927 | American author and egyptologist |
124 | Barbara Stock | 1956 | American actress |
125 | Barbara Tissier | 1972 | French actress |
126 | Barbara Amiel | 1940 | British journalist, writer, and socialite |
127 | Barbara Jefford | 1930 | British actress |
128 | Barbara Leigh-Hunt | 1935 | Actress |
129 | Barbara De Angelis | 1951 | American psychologist |
130 | Barbara Lezzi | 1972 | Italian politician |
131 | Barbara Romaner | 1978 | Italian actress |
132 | Barbara Durkin | British actress | |
133 | Barbara Kellerman | 1949 | British actress |
134 | Barbara Karlich | 1969 | Austrian television presenter |
135 | Barbara Newhall Follett | 1914 | American writer |
136 | Barbara | 2000 | German artist |
137 | Barbara Borys-Damięcka | 1937 | |
138 | Barbara Pym | 1913 | British writer |
139 | Barbara Hoyt | 1951 | Manson Family member |
140 | Barbara Jane Mackle | 1948 | Crime victim |
141 | Barbara Ann Hackmann Taylor | 1943 | American murder victim |
142 | Barbara Eve Harris | 1959 | Canadian actress |
143 | Barbara March | 1953 | Canadian actress |
144 | Barbara Burska | 1947 | Polish actress |
145 | Barbara Boncompagni | 1963 | Italian singer |
146 | Barbara Meek | 1934 | American actress |
147 | Barbara Murray | 1929 | British actress |
148 | Joseph Barbara | 1905 | American mobster |
149 | Barbara Bursztynowicz | 1954 | Polish actress |
150 | Barbara Sloesen | 1988 | Dutch television actor |
151 | Barbara Young | 1936 | English actress |
152 | Barbara Davis | Philanthropist | |
153 | Barbara Mason | 1947 | American musician |
154 | Barbara Kisseler | 1949 | German politician |
155 | Barbara Spooner Wilberforce | 1771 | Wife of William Wilberforce |
156 | Barbara Kopple | 1946 | American film/documentary director |
157 | Barbara Woodhouse | 1910 | English dog trainer |
158 | Barbara Lynn | 1942 | American rhythm and blues and electric blues guitarist and singer |
159 | Barbara Philipp | 1965 | German actress |
160 | Barbara Kelsch | French actress | |
161 | Barbara Beretta | 1978 | French actress |
162 | Barbara Jo Allen | 1906 | American actress |
163 | Barbara Buono | 1953 | New Jersey State Senator |
164 | Barbara Baxley | 1923 | American actress |
165 | Barbara Scoppa | 1957 | Italian actress |
166 | Barbara Fredrickson | 1964 | Professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
167 | Barbara Szcześniak | 1951 | Polish actress |
168 | Barbara Martin | 1943 | American R&B singer |
169 | Barbara Delsol | 1963 | French actress |
170 | Barbara Lott | 1920 | British actress |
171 | Barbara Ann Scott | 1928 | Figure skater from Canada |
172 | Barbara Strozzi | 1619 | Italian baroque singer and composer |
173 | Barbara Gaskin | 1950 | British singer |
174 | Barbara Smith | 1946 | American writer |
175 | Barbara Siggers Franklin | 1917 | American singer |
176 | Barbara Oakley | 1955 | Professor of Engineering |
177 | Barbara Brennan | 1939 | American Writer |
178 | Barbara Hendricks | 1948 | African-American operatic soprano and concert singer |
179 | Barbara Lawrence | 1930 | American writer and real-estate businessperson, and retired actress and model |
180 | Barbara Lynch | American chef | |
181 | Barbara of Portugal | 1711 | Queen consort of Spain |
182 | Barbara, Lady Judge | 1946 | American banker |
183 | Barbara Lett-Simmons | 1927 | American politician |
184 | Barbara Hulanicki | 1936 | Fashion designer |
185 | Barbara Bonney | 1956 | Singer |
186 | Barbara de Koy | 1954 | German actress |
187 | Barbara Rett | 1953 | Austrian television presenter |
188 | Barbara Bleisch | 1973 | Swiss journalist and television presenter |
189 | Barbara Prakopenka | 1992 | German actress |
190 | Barbara Fritchie | 1766 | American patriot during the American Civil War |
191 | Barbara Fairchild | 1950 | American country and gospel singer |
192 | Barbara Johnson | 1947 | American literary critic |
193 | Barbara Marx Hubbard | 1929 | American writer |
194 | Barbara Carrellas | American writer | |
195 | Barbara Randolph | 1942 | American singer |
196 | Barbara Byrd-Bennett | 1951 | CEO of the Chicago Public Schools system |
197 | Barbara Garrick | 1965 | American actress |
198 | Barbara Doll | 1972 | French pornographic actress |
199 | Barbara Simons | 1941 | American computer scientist |
200 | Barbara Tausia | 1977 | Belgian singer |