The story behind Barbara
* From Latin Barbara, the name of Saint Barbara, feminine form of barbarus, from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “strange, foreign”). Doublet of Varvara. * (logic): From the given name; chosen because it has three A's in it representing universal affirmatives.
Other language forms and explanations (6)
Dutch entry
Ultimately from Latin Barbara.
French entry
From Latin Barbara (name of a legendary saint), feminine form of barbarus, from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “strange, foreign”).
German entry
Borrowed from Latin Barbara, from the saint's name.
Hungarian entry
From Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “non-Greek-speaking, foreign”).
Polish entry
Ultimately from from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros). Doublet of Barbórka.
Tagalog entry
Borrowed from Spanish Bárbara.
Pronunciation
General-American: /ˈbɑɹb(ə)ɹə/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈbɑːb(ə)ɹə/
- Dutch: /ˈbɑr.baːˌraː/
- Dutch: /ˈbɑr.bəˌraː/
- French: /baʁ.ba.ʁa/
- German: /ˈbarbara/
- German: [ˈbaʁ.bɐ.ʁa]
- German: [ˈbaɐ̯-]
- German: [ˈbaː-]
- German: [-bə-]
- German: [-ˌʁaː]
- Hungarian: [ˈbɒrbɒrɒ]
- Polish: /barˈba.ra/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: /ˈbaɾbaɾa/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: [ˌbaɾ.bɐˈɾa]
Popularity
Barbara ranked #968 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Barbara
Balbina
Learned borrowing from Latin Balbina.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Barbāra
a female given name from Latin, equivalent to English Barbara
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Bárbara
a female given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek], equivalent to English Barbara a female given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek], equivalent to English…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Barnaba
From Ancient Greek Βαρναβᾶς (Barnabâs), from the Hebrew בּר (bar, “son”) and נָבִיא (naví, “prophet”). Derived from Ancient Greek Βαρναβᾶς (Barnabâs).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Benita
Borrowed from Spanish Benita. Feminine form of Benito, from Latin Benedictus. Equivalent to the rare English Benedicta.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Adolba
From Spanish Adolfo (“Adolf”), coined by Sabino Arana.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Barbara
Æmile
From Latin Aemilius. See also French Émile.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Baldomero
Borrowed from Spanish Baldomero.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Baldovino
From Latin Balduinus, from Frankish *Baldawin, from Proto-Germanic *Balþawiniz (literally “bold friend”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Barbara
Aaron
From Latin Aaron, from Ancient Greek Ἀαρών (Aarṓn), from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן (ʾAhărōn), of unknown meaning, possibly meaning “bearer of martyrs”, or perhaps also, or instead,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Aarón
a male given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English Aaron
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abdiasz
Learned borrowing from Latin Abdias, from Ancient Greek Ἀβδίας (Abdías), from Hebrew עובדיה.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Z
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length