A familiar Latin name with steady appeal.
A female given name from Latin.
Barbara is a girl's and boy's baby name of Latin origin, derived from the Greek word barbaros, meaning 'foreign' or 'strange.' It was the name of Saint Barbara, a 3rd-century martyr, which helped spread its use across medieval Europe.
Barbara dominated the U.S. top 10 from the 1920s through the 1950s, making it one of the defining names of the mid-20th century. Today it carries a vintage warmth that's ripe for a comeback.
Barbara was #624 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #860, but its charm endures.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,495 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 3,256 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 4,721 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 8,855 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 19,138 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 42,238 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 159,774 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 345,723 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 425,267 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 296,419 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 97,210 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 23,704 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 3,999 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 2,783 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 1,820 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 313 | #860 |
| 2023 | 307 | #876 |
| 2022 | 276 | #966 |
| 2021 | 299 | #904 |
| 2020 | 300 | #887 |
| 2019 | 287 | #922 |
| 2018 | 291 | #920 |
| 2017 | 301 | #894 |
| 2016 | 329 | #855 |
| 2015 | 327 | #853 |
| 2014 | 325 | #849 |
| 2013 | 321 | #831 |
| 2012 | 296 | #894 |
| 2011 | 369 | #746 |
| 2010 | 410 | #696 |
| 2009 | 465 | #639 |
| 2008 | 396 | #749 |
| 2007 | 481 | #619 |
| 2006 | 550 | #539 |
| 2005 | 411 | #676 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Barbara has also been given to 4,135 boys in the U.S. since 1913.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1880–2024) · Methodology