Barbara (given name)

Barbara is a given name used in numerous languages. It is the feminine form of the Greek word barbaros (Greek: βάρβαρος) meaning "strange" or "foreign", from which the current term barbarian is also derived.

Look up Barbara or barbara in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

In Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox tradition, Saint Barbara was martyred by her father, who was then punished with death by lightning. As such, St. Barbara is a protectress against fire and lightning.

Today, Barbara remains among the top 100 most popular names for female babies born in Chile, Hungary, Poland[1] and Slovakia. It was among the top 10 names given to baby girls born in both the Czech Republic and Georgia in 2012. The Russian variant Varvara is also returning to popularity in former Soviet republics such as Estonia, where it ranked among the top names for girls in 2012, and in Russia, where it was the eighth most popular name for girls born in 2013 in Moscow. Its popularity in the United States has declined from third place, in the 1930s, to 838th place, in 2013, when it was used for 310 newborn American girls. The Russian form of the name, Varvara, was given to just 11 American girls in 2013.[2][3]

In Italy Barbara was particularly popular during the 1970s: it was among the top 10 names given to girls born from 1969 to 1977, rising to 2nd place (behind Maria) in 1971.[4] In the same year it was the most common name for girls born in Rome and in Bologna.[5]