Barbara

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Barbara

Gender: Feminine
Language: English, Spanish

Etymology:
Barbara is the English form of a Greek name which means “Foreign,” from the word “barbaros” (also the origin of the word “barbarian”).

History:
Barbara was a popular name (often as Barbary) in England from the 12th century to the Reformation (St. Barbara was one of the four “virgin saints”). It was revived, in England and the United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Pronunciation: bar-bar-ah.

Diminutives: .
Czech: Bára, Bora, Barcinka, Barka, Barunka, Baruna, Baruska.
English: Babs, Barb, Barbi, Barbie, Barby, Babette, Babbette, Babete, Babetta.
French: Babette, Barb, Barbot.
German: Bärbel.
Hawaiian: Palapi.
Polish: Basia.
Spanish: Barbabrita.

Alternates: Barbra, Barbera, Basha, Barbary.
Czech: Barbora.
French: Barbe.
Hawaiian: Palapala.
Hungarian: Borbála, Bora, Borhala, Boriska, Borka, Borsala, Brosca, Broska.
Irish: Baibre, Bairbre, Baibín.
Russian: Varvara.
Scottish: Barabal.
Swedish: Barbro.

Surnames: Babson.

See also: Babette, Babs, Barb, Barbra.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Dame Barbara Cartland (1901-2000)
English romance author.
Barbara Pym (1913-1980)
English novelist.
Barbara Kruger (1945-)
American artist.
Barbara Kingsolver (1955-)
American novelist.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon (1827-1891)
English educator. Helped found Girton College, Cambridge.
Barbara Tuchman (1912-1989)
American historian.

Miscellaneous:
Barbara Hauer Frietschie (1766-1862)
Legendary patriot. Supposedly waved a Union Flag at Confederate forces during the Civil War.
Barbara Scott (1928-)
Canadian figure skater.
Barbara Walters (1931-)
American journalist.

Other:
Barbi Doll (1959-
Female fashion doll for girls.

Places:
Santa Barbara
California.

Political Figures:
Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland (1641-1709
Mistress of King Charles II of Great Britain.
Barbara Bush (1925-)
American first lady. Wife to George Bush. Mother to George W. Bush.
Barbara C. Jordan (1936-1996)
American congresswoman.

Religious Figures:
Saint Barbara (?-200)
A virgin martyr. Patron saint of artillerymen.

Scientists:
Barbara McClintock (1902-1992)
American geneticist. Winner of the 1983 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.

Singers and Entertainers:
Barbara Stanwyck (1907-1990)
American actress.
Barbara Streisand (1942-)
American singer and actress.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.980 % named Barbara
0.015 % named Barbra
0.006 % named Barb
0.003 % named Barbie
0.002 % named Barbera
0.002 % named Babette

Popularity of Barbara:
Popularity (for newborns):
1800: 41st most popular.
1850: 61st most popular.
1875: 115th most popular.
1900-1910: 143rd most popular.
1910-1920: 85th most popular.
1920-1930: 18th most popular.
1928: 7th most popular.
1929: 9th most popular.
1930: 5th most popular.
1931: 4th most popular.
1932: 3rd most popular.
1933: 3rd most popular.
1934: 4th most popular.
1935: 3rd most popular.
1936: 3rd most popular.
1937: 2nd most popular.
1938: 2nd most popular.
1939: 2nd most popular.
1940: 2nd most popular.
1941: 2nd most popular.
1942: 2nd most popular.
1943: 2nd most popular.
1944: 2nd most popular.
1945: 3rd most popular.
1946: 4th most popular.
1947: 4th most popular.
1948: 4th most popular.
1949: 4th most popular.
1950: 4th most popular.
1951: 4th most popular.
1952: 5th most popular.
1953: 6th most popular.
1954: 7th most popular.
1955: 8th most popular.
1956: 9th most popular.
1957: N/A
1958: 10th most popular.
1959: N/A
1960-1970: 22nd most popular.
1970-1980: 73rd most popular.
1980-1990: 153rd most popular.
1990: 207th most popular.
1991: 224th most popular.
1992: 235th most popular.
1993: 279th most popular.
1994: 299th most popular.
1995: 340th most popular.
1996: 380th most popular.
1997: 380th most popular.
1998: 463rd most popular.
1999: 478th most popular.
2000: 511th most popular.
2001: 550th most popular.
2002: 560th most popular.
2003: 628th most popular.

In France...
1900-1960: N/A
1962: 196th most popular.
1970: 77th most popular.
1980: 111th most popular.
1990: 112th most popular.
1992: 124th most popular.
2000: N/A

Popularity of Barbe:
Popularity (for newborns):
In France...
1900: 104th most popular.
1910: 193rd most popular.
1916: 198th most popular.
1920-2000: N/A