Boy · #9,864 in 2026

Barnaby

Name: Popularity of the name Barnaby in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Barnaby, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Barnaby is an Old English surname composed of the Saxon element beorn meaning young warrior, and the Danish suffix by meaning 'settlement'. As a given name, it means "son of consolation" and is etymologically linked with the New Testament name Barnabas.

Current Rank

#9,864

Peak Rank

#2,199 (1974)

Total Babies

375

5-Yr Trend

-23%

1953

First Year

2024

Last Year

1974

Peak Year

#2199

Peak Rank

375

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Barnaby

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Barnaby

Barnaby first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1953, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1974, when 19 Barnabys were born — ranking #2,199 that year. As of 2026, Barnaby ranks #9,864 for baby boys with 7 births, falling sharply (-23%). In total, more than 375 Barnabys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Barnaby

Phonetically similar names — useful when Barnaby is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Burnaby
Bonobo
Barnabas
Barnabus
Barbie
Barney
Barny
Barby
Barnie
Barnum
Barbi
Barbee

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Barnaby

What does the name Barnaby mean?

How popular is Barnaby in 2026?

In 2026, Barnaby ranks #9,864 among boys' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.

When was Barnaby most popular?

Barnaby reached its peak popularity in 1974, ranking #2,199 that year with 19 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Barnaby most popular?

Barnaby has historically been most popular in New York, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Barnaby.

Is Barnaby a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Barnaby is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Barnaby?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Barnaby include Lamoyne, Thadius, Franciso. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Barnaby

Barnaby is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1953 and has accumulated 375 births in the dataset. Barnaby's peak popularity came in 1974 when it ranked #2,199. Use the chart and map above to compare Barnaby's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.