Barbara
4 countries#968 in United States, 2025Popularity across 4 countries
Each line is scaled to its own peak, so you can compare when Barbara was in fashion in each country, whatever the population size.
Country by country
🇺🇸 United States
1,440,831 births recorded 1880–2025 · currently #968 · peaked in 1947 with 48,889 births
Most common in: New York, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Ohio
Source: Social Security Administration, official birth-registration data
🇫🇷 France
26,087 births recorded 1900–2022 · currently #1091 · peaked in 1972 with 1,475 births
Most common in: Paris, Nord, Hauts-de-Seine, Moselle, Bouches-du-Rhône
Source: INSEE, official birth-registration data
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
1,296 births recorded 1974–2021 · peaked in 1974 with 75 births (England & Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland combined)
Source: ONS, National Records of Scotland & NISRA (combined), official birth-registration data
🏴 Scotland
689 births recorded 1974–2018 · peaked in 1974 with 75 births
Source: National Records of Scotland, official birth-registration data
🏴🏴 England & Wales
607 births recorded 1996–2021 · currently #1351 · peaked in 2018 with 42 births
Source: Office for National Statistics, official birth-registration data
United States rank history
Barbara’s rank among girls’ names, most recent 20 years on record.
| Year | Rank | vs. prior yr |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | #538 | — |
| 2007 | #618 | ↓80 |
| 2008 | #747 | ↓129 |
| 2009 | #639 | ↑108 |
| 2010 | #692 | ↓53 |
| 2011 | #745 | ↓53 |
| 2012 | #893 | ↓148 |
| 2013 | #831 | ↑62 |
| 2014 | #848 | ↓17 |
| 2015 | #849 | ↓1 |
| 2016 | #856 | ↓7 |
| 2017 | #890 | ↓34 |
| 2018 | #920 | ↓30 |
| 2019 | #922 | ↓2 |
| 2020 | #886 | ↑36 |
| 2021 | #904 | ↓18 |
| 2022 | #966 | ↓62 |
| 2023 | #871 | ↑95 |
| 2024 | #852 | ↑19 |
| 2025 | #968 | ↓116 |
Frequently asked questions about Barbara
Is Barbara a popular name?
Yes — Barbara currently ranks #968 among girls’ names in United States as of 2025, based on official birth records.
Is Barbara more common for boys or girls?
Barbara is recorded predominantly as a girls’ name in official United States birth data.
When was Barbara most popular?
Barbara peaked in 1947 in United States, with 48,889 recorded births that year.
Is Barbara rising or falling in popularity?
In United States, Barbara’s popularity is falling — its rank has slipped from #128 in 1880 to #968 in 2025.
How many babies have been named Barbara?
At least 1,468,214 babies have been recorded with the name Barbara across official birth statistics in 4 countries.
Is Barbara popular in more than one country?
Yes — Barbara appears in official birth records in 4 countries: United States, France, Scotland, England & Wales.
What names are similar in popularity to Barbara?
Based on real 2025 ranking data in United States, names ranked closest to Barbara include Mazie, Nancy, Zora, Elia.
Similar names right now
Ranked directly next to Barbara in United States, 2025 — a real popularity match, not a subjective list.