Barbra
Barbara and Barbra are given names. They are the feminine form of the Greek word barbaros meaning "stranger" or "foreign". In Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition, Saint Barbara was imprisoned in a tower by her father. She was then martyred by her father when she refused to renounce Christianity. According to legend, her father was then punished with death by lightning.
Meaning & Origin of Barbra
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Barbara and Barbra are given names. They are the feminine form of the Greek word barbaros meaning "stranger" or "foreign". In Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition, Saint Barbara was imprisoned in a tower by her father. She was then martyred by her father when she refused to renounce Christianity. According to legend, her father was then punished with death by lightning.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Barbra
The earliest SSA record of Barbra as a baby girl name dates back to 1882, when 5 babies received it. 1966 was its biggest year on record, with 343 newborns named Barbra — #512 in the national rankings. The 1960s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 24% of all recorded Barbras. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2014 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 8K Barbras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Barbra
Phonetically similar names — useful when Barbra is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Barbra
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About the name Barbra
Barbra is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 8K births in the dataset. Barbra's peak popularity came in 1966 when it ranked #512. Use the chart and map above to compare Barbra's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1966 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.