# 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 "stranger" or "foreign". In Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition, Saint Barbara (Greek: Ἁγία Βαρβάρα) 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. As such, Saint Barbara is a protectress against fire and lightning. Early Christians occasionally referred to themselves as "barbarians" in opposition to the pagan Romans and Greeks. The story of Saint Barbara is said to have been an inspiration for the fairy tale Rapunzel and other European stories that feature a maiden in a tower.
Today, the name Barbara or its variants are commonly given to female babies born in such countries as Chile, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Russia, among others. Barbie, a traditional English hypocorism for the name and the brand name of a popular fashion doll, is well-used as an independent name for girls and women in the American Amish community. There was also increased interest in the name Barbie following the release of the 2023 film Barbie. Barbara was among the most popular names for girls in English-speaking countries in the first half of the 20th century but has since decreased in usage in countries such as the United States.There were 271 American girls named Barbara and 27 American girls named Barbie in 2022. The name increased in usage in 2023 in the United States, with 305 newborn girls given the name that year, an increase of 87 from 2022. The name ranked 877th on the popularity chart in 2023. Another 32 American girls were named Barbie in 2023. The popular film Barbie, in which the main character begins using the name Barbara, came out in 2023.
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. In the same year, it was the most common name for girls born in Rome and in Bologna.

## Variants

* Babara (Hawaiian)
* Babbie (English)
* Baiba (Latvian)
* Baibín (Irish Gaelic)
* Bairbre (Irish Gaelic)
* Bára (Czech)
* Barabal (Scottish Gaelic)
* Barb (name) (English)
* Barba (Faroese)
* Bàrbara (Catalan)
* Bárbara (Galician, Portuguese, Spanish)
* Barbara (Belarusian, Croatian, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Maltese, Polish, Slovene, Serbian
* Barbare (Georgian)
* Barbary (English)
* Bärbel (German)
* Barbera (Italian, old Florentine variant)
* Barbie (English)
* Barbo (Norwegian)
* Barbora (Czech, Lithuanian, Slovak)
* Barborka (Slovak), (Czech)
* Barbra (English)
* Barbro (Norwegian, Swedish)
* Barbuš, Baruš (Czech)
* Barby (English)
* Barča (Czech)
* Barunka (Czech)
* Baruška (Czech)
* Basia (Polish)
* Baśka (Polish)
* Basieńka (Polish)
* Berber (West Frisian)
* Borbála, Barbara (Hungarian)
* Varvara (Bulgarian, Greek)
* Βαρβάρα (Varvara), (Greek)
* Варвара (Varvara), (Russian, Ukrainian)
* Варя (Varya), (Russian, Ukrainian)

## People with the given name Barbara (or variants)

* Barbara (1930–1997; stage name of Monique Andrée Serf), French singer
* Saint Barbara, early Christian martyr
* Bárbara de Santo Domingo (1842–1872), Spanish Catholic mystic
* Barbara of Austria (1539–1572), Archduchess of Austria
* Barbara of Brandenburg (1464–1515), Queen consort of Bohemia and Hungary
* Barbara of Cilli (1392–1451), Queen of Hungary, Germany and Bohemia, Empress of Holy Roman Empire
* Barbara of Hesse (1536–1597), Duchess of Württemberg-Mömpelgard
* Barbara of Portugal (1711–1758), Queen Consort of Spain
* Barbara Abart (born 1985), Italian luger
* Barbara Abbott (born 1943), American linguist
* Barbara Acklin (1943–1998), American soul singer
* Barbara Adachi, American businesswoman
* Barbara Adams (born 1951), Pennsylvania attorney and politician
* Barbara Adams (1945–2002), British historian and Egyptologist
* Barbara Adams (born 1962), Canadian politician
* Barbara Agostino (born 1982), Luxembourgish politician
* Barbara Aigner (born 2005), Austrian para-alpine skier
* Varvara Akritidou (born 1981), Greek judoka
* Barbara Allimadi (1972 –2020),Ugandan politician and human rights activist
* Barbra Amesbury (born 1948), formerly Bill Amesbury, Canadian singer-songwriter, composer and filmmaker
* Barbara Angus (1924–2005), New Zealand diplomat and historian
* Barbara Auer (born 1959), German actress
* Barbara Avedon (1925–1994), television writer
* Barbara Ayrton-Gould (1886–1950), British politician and suffragist
* Barbara Bach (born 1947), American actress
* Barbara Bailey (1910–2003), British nun (Sister Mary Barbara Bailey), artist, and illustrator
* Barbara Evelyn Bailey (born 1942), Jamaican educator and gender studies advocate
* Barbara Bailey (born 1944), American politician
* Barbara Bailey (Connecticut Four), American librarian and activist
* Barbara Bain (born 1931), American actress
* Barbara Ball (1924–2011), Bermudian politician
* Barbara Ballard (born 1944), American politician
* Bárbara Micheline do Monte Barbosa (born 1988), known as Bárbara, Brazilian footballer
* Barbara Barrie (born 1931), American actress
* Barbara Bartuś (born 1967), Polish politician
* Barbara Bates (1925–1969), American actress
* Barbara Bates (1928–2002), American physician, author and historian
* Barbara Berlusconi (born 1984), Italian business executive
* Barbara Bestor (born 1969), American architect based in Los Angeles
* Barbara Bohannan-Sheppard (born 1950), American politician
* Barbara Boxer (born 1940), American politician (US House Representative & US Senator, D-CA)
* Barbara Bush (1925–2018), First Lady of the United States (1989–1993)
* Bárbara Cabrera (born 1996), Argentine fashion model and beauty pageant titleholder who was appointed Miss Universe Argentina 2022
* Barbara Calder (1924–2018), British yachtswoman
* Barbara Carrera (born 1945), Nicaraguan-American actress
* Dame Barbara Cartland (1901–2000), English novelist
* Barbara Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn (1910–2002), British politician
* Barbara Chase-Riboud, American visual artist and sculptor (born 1939)
* Barbara Creecy (born 1958), South African politician
* Barbara Colby (1939–1975), American actress
* Barbara Comstock (born 1959), American attorney, lobbyist, and politician
* Barbara Comyns (1907–1992), English writer and artist
* Barbara Corcoran (born 1949), American entrepreneur
* Barbara Dawson (born 1957), Irish art historian, museum gallery director, author, curator
* Barbara Dex (born 1974), Belgian singer
* Barbara Dickson (born 1947), British singer
* Barbara Dittrich (born 1964), American politician
* Barbara Dreaver, New Zealand broadcast journalist
* Barbara Dunkelman (born 1989), Canadian-born actress and internet personality
* Barbara Dürk, (1949-2014, Frankfurt am Main), German trade union functionary, publicist and management consultant
* Barbara Eden (born 1931), American actress
* Barbara Ehrenreich (1941–2022), American author and political activist
* Barbara Ercolano, Italian astrophysicist
* Barbro Eriksdotter (Bielke) (died 1553), Swedish noble
* Varvara Fasoi (born 1991), Greek road cyclist
* Barbara Fei (1931–2017), Hong Kong soprano opera singer
* Barbara Feldon (born 1933), American actress
* Barbara Waxman Fiduccia (1955–2001), American disability activist, author, and educator
* Barbara Figueroa, American chef
* Varvara Filiou (born 1994), Greek rhythmic gymnast and coach
* barbara findlay, Canadian lawyer
* Barbara Flaminia (1540–1586), Italian stage actress
* Barbara Floridia (born 1977), Italian politician
* Barbara Freyberg, Baroness Freyberg (1887–1973), British peeress
* Barbara Frittoli (born 1967), Italian opera singer
* Dame Barbara Frost (born 1952), British charity executive
* Barbara Frum (1937–1992), Canadian broadcast journalist
* Barbara Fugger (1419–1497), German banker
* Barbara Fuld, better known as Bracha Fuld (1926–1946), German-born Jewish resistance fighter
* Barbra Fuller (1921–2024), American actress and centenarian
* Barbara Galland, New Zealand academic in the field of paediatric sleep health
* Barbara Galpin (1855–1922), American journalist
* Barbara Gibbs Golffing (1912–1993), American poet and translator
* Barbara Gibson (born 1962), American-born British politician and academic
* Barbara Gordon, American documentary filmmaker and author
* Barbara Hale (1922–2017), American actress
* Barbara Hamilton, 14th Baroness Dudley (1907–2002), British noblewoman
* Barbara Hanley (1882–1959), Canadian politician
* Barbara Harnack (born 1957), American ceramic and mixed media sculpture artist
* Barbara Harris, various individuals with same or similar names
* Barbara Haščáková (1979–2023), Slovak singer
* Barbara R. Hatton, American academic administrator
* Barbara Hendricks (born 1948), African-American operatic soprano
* Barbara Hendricks (politician) (born 1952), German politician, Minister of Finance
* Dame Barbara Hepworth (1903–1975), British artist and sculptor
* Barbara Hershey (born 1948), American actress
* Barbara Hochstein, German–New Zealand radiologist
* Barbara Howard (1920–2017), Canadian sprinter
* Barbara Hutton (1912–1979), American heiress
* Barbara Elisabeth van Houten (1863–1950), Dutch painter
* Barbara Jackman (born 1950), Canadian lawyer
* Barbara Janke (born 1947), British politician
* Barbara Jefford (1930–2020), British actress
* Barbara Jelić-Ružić (born 1977), Croatian volleyball player
* Barbara Nation, known as Barbara Jones, Jamaican singer
* Barbara Jones (sprinter) (born 1937), American sprinter
* Barbara S. Jones (born 1947), former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
* Barbara Jordan (1936–1996), American politician
* Barbara Jordan (poet) (born 1949), American poet
* Barbara Jordan (tennis) (born 1957), American tennis player
* Barbara Joscelyne (born 1959), British Paralympian athlete
* Barbara Kalik (born 1936), American politician
* Barbara Karinska (1886–1983), Ukrainian costumer of the New York City Ballet
* Barbara Karlich (born 1969), Austrian television presenter
* Barbara Kavovit, American socialite
* Barbara Kay (born 1943), Canadian columnist
* Barbara Keeley (born 1952), British politician
* Barbara Keiler, pen name Judith Arnold (born 1953), American writer
* Barbara Kellerman (born 1949), British actress
* Barbara Kendall (born 1967), boardsailor from New Zealand
* Barbara B. Kennelly (born 1936), American politician
* Barbara Kent (1907–2011), American actress
* Barbara Kingsolver (born 1955), American novelist and essayist
* Barbara Klerk (born 1989), Belgian figure skater
* Barbara Knox (born 1933), English actress
* Barbora Kodetová (born 1970), Czech actress
* Barbara Kolb (1939–2024), American composer
* Barbara Kopple (born 1946), American film director
* Barbara Krauthamer (born 1967), American historian
* Barbara La Marr (1896–1926), American actress
* Barbara Lah (born 1972), Italian triple jumper
* Barbara Lea (1929–2011), American actress and singer
* Barbara Ledermann (born 1925), German-born American Holocaust survivor
* Barbara Lee (born 1946), American politician
* Barbara Levick (1931–2023), British historian
* Barbara Lezzi (born 1972), Italian politician
* Barbara Liskov (born 1939), American computer scientist, recipient of the Turing Award
* Barbara Longhi (1552–1638), Italian painter
* Barbara de Loor (born 1974), Dutch speed skater
* Barbara Mandrell (born 1948), American singer and musician
* Barbara Joan March (born 1945), American criminal
* Barbara Masini (born 1974), Italian politician
* Barbara Matera (politician) (born 1981), Italian politician
* Barbara Matera (costume designer) (1929–2001), British-born American costume and clothing designer
* Barbara McAlister, various individuals with the same or similar names
* Barbara McCauley, American romance writer
* Barbara McClintock (1902–1992), American scientist
* Barbara McNair (1934–2007), American singer and actress
* Barbara Mensing (born 1960), German archer
* Barbara Mikulski (born 1936), American politician
* Barbara Mitcalfe (1928–2017), New Zealand conservationist, botanist and educator
* Barbara Moore, various individuals with the same or similar names
* Barbara Nedeljáková (born 1979), Slovak actress
* Barbara Nichols (1928–1976), American actress and sex symbol
* Barbara Niedernhuber (born 1974), German luger
* Barbara Oddone (born 1970), Italian tennis player
* Barbara O'Neal, American novelist
* Barbara O'Neil (1910–1980), American actress
* Barbara O'Shea, Australian politician
* Bárbara Palacios (born 1963), Venezuelan beauty queen
* Barbara Palvin (born 1993), Hungarian model
* Barbara Patton (born 1944), New York politician and university professor
* Barbara Paulus (born 1970), Austrian tennis player
* Barbara Pennington (1954–2023), American music artist
* Barbara Peterson (born 1953), American philanthropist and former beauty pageant titleholder
* Barbara Piwnik (born 1955), Polish judge and politician
* Barbara Poma, founder of the Pulse nightclub, which experienced a mass shooting on June 12, 2016.
* Barbara Pompili (born 1975), French politician
* Barbara Potter (born 1961), Barbara Jordan's American compatriot and tennis player
* Barbara Pravi (born 1993), French singer
* Barbara Rafferty (born 1950), Scottish actress
* Barbara Randolph (1942–2002), American soul singer
* Barbara Radziwiłł (1520–1551), Queen of Poland
* Barbara Rittner (born 1973), German tennis player
* Barbara Riveros Diaz, Chilean triathlete
* Barbara "Dusty" Roads (born 1928), labor activist and flight attendant
* Barbara Roche (born 1954), British politician
* Barbara Romagnan (born 1974), French politician and teacher
* Barbara Ann Rowan (1938–2020), American attorney
* Barbara Rudnik (1958–2009), German actress
* Dame Barbara Salt (1904–1975), British diplomat
* Barbara Schack (1873/4–1958), Sudeten German politician
* Barbara Schett (born 1976), Austrian tennis player
* Barbara Schöneberger (born 1974), German entertainer
* Barbara Schwartz (disambiguation), several people
* Barbara Seidenath (born 1960), American metalsmith and jeweler
* Barbara Schmid-Federer (born 1965), Swiss politician
* Barbara Seal, Canadian former judge from Montreal, Quebec.
* Barbara Stanwyck (1907–1990), American actress
* Barbara Steel (1857–1942), Scottish-South African suffragette
* Barbra Streisand (born 1942), American singer and film and theatre actress
* Barbara Strozzi (1619–1677), Italian Baroque singer and composer
* Barbara Sturgeon, British broadcaster
* Barbara Sukowa (born 1950), German actress
* Barbara Thaler (born 1982), Austrian politician
* Barbara Thenn (1519–1579) Austrian merchant and Münzmeister
* Barbara Traub, American photographer
* Barbara Tudek (1952–2019), biologist, professor who served as president of the Polish section of the European Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society
* Barbara "Basia" Trzetrzelewska (born 1954), Polish singer-songwriter and recording artist
* Barbara Vernon (activist), Australian maternity activist and government lobbyist
* Barbara Vernon (writer) (1916–1978), Australian playwright and screenwriter
* Barbara Voss (born 1967), American historical archaeologist
* Barbara Wagner (born 1938), Canadian figure skater
* Barbara Walters (1929–2022), American journalist
* Dame Barbara Ward, Lady Jackson, British economist and writer
* Barbara Wasinger, American politician
* Barbara Webster-Bourne, Anguillian Speaker of the National Assembly
* Dame Barbara Windsor (1937–2020), English comedy and soap opera actress
* Barbara Alyn Woods, American actress
* Barbara Woodward (born 1961), British diplomat
* Barbara Wylie (1861–1954), British suffragette
* Barbara Yeaman (born 1924), American conservationist
* Barbara Yelin (born 1977), German cartoonist
* Barbara Yorke (born 1951), British historian
* Barbara Young, various individuals with the same or similar names
* Barbara Yung (1959–1985), Hong Kong actress
* Barbara Zdunk (1769–1811), Polish alleged arsonist

## Fictional characters with the given name Barbara (or variants)

* Barbara, a character in 2020 video game Genshin Impact
* Barbara Barrows, Sissy Spacek's character in HBO television film If These Walls Could Talk
* Barbara Gordon, also known as Batgirl, in DC Comics
* Barbara "Barb" Holland, in Stranger Things
* Barbara Maitland, in Beetlejuice
* Barbara "Barbie" Roberts, the name of famous Mattel doll
* Barbara Rose, in The War of the Roses