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".[1]

Barbara
Usage of the name increased in part due to the popularity of the Christian Saint Barbara, depicted in this 1924 painting by Mikhail Vasilievich Nesterov.
Pronunciation/ˈbɑːrbərə/ BAR-bər-ə
Genderfeminine
Language(s)Greek
Name dayDecember 4
Origin
Meaning"strange or foreign"
Other names
See alsoBarbra, Babs, Barbie, Barby, Barb, Barbro, Bärbel, Bobbie, Varvara

In Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox tradition, Saint Barbara (Greek: Ἁγία Βαρβάρα) was martyred by her father, who was then punished with death by lightning. As such, St Barbara is a protectress against fire and lightning. Early Christians occasionally referred to themselves as "barbarians" in opposition to the pagan Romans and Greeks.[2]

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.[3] It 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.[4][5]

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.[6] In the same year, it was the most common name for girls born in Rome and in Bologna.[7]

Variants

People with the given name Barbara (or variants)

See also

References
  1. Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. p. 27. ISBN 0-19-861060-2.
  2. \Losemann, Volker. ""Barbarians"". Brill's New Pauly Online. Brill. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  3. "100 najpopularniejszych imion dla dzieci w 2009 roku". Gazetaprawna.pl. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  4. Mike Campbell. "Popularity for Barbara". Behind the Name. Retrieved 2012-07-16.
  5. OACT. "Popular Baby Names". www.ssa.gov. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
  6. Cfr. Alda Rossebastiano-Elena Papa, I nomi di persona in Italia: dizionario storico ed etimologico, Torino, UTET, 2005 (in Italian).
  7. Cfr. Enzo Caffarelli, L'onomastica personale nella città di Roma dalla fine del secolo XIX ad oggi. Per una nuova prospettivi di sociografia e cronografia antroponimica, Tubinga, Niemeyer, 1996 (in Italian).
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