Barbara
Girl name · #968 in 2025 · Uniqueness 65/100
Barbara ranks #968 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 264 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #849, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,818 girls born in 2025 was named Barbara.
Babies named Barbara per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Barbara first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 127 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1947, when 48,800 girls were named Barbara — good for #4 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Barbara against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Barbara in class?
Barbara scores 65 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Barbara is most common
Geography matters for names, and Barbara is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Barbaras were TX (42), PA (26), CA (23), NY (17), IN (13). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Barbara
Statistically, parents drawn to Barbara tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sandra, Beverly, Linda, Cynthia, and Brenda.
SandraBeverlyLindaCynthiaBrendaPatriciaTeresaCarolyn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Barbara | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 264 | #968 |
| 2024 | 317 | #852 |
| 2023 | 308 | #871 |
| 2022 | 276 | #966 |
| 2021 | 299 | #904 |
| 2020 | 301 | #886 |
| 2019 | 287 | #922 |
| 2018 | 291 | #920 |
| 2017 | 303 | #890 |
| 2016 | 329 | #856 |
| 2015 | 329 | #849 |
| 2014 | 326 | #848 |
| 2013 | 321 | #831 |
| 2012 | 296 | #893 |
| 2011 | 369 | #745 |
| 2010 | 412 | #692 |
| 2009 | 465 | #639 |
| 2008 | 397 | #747 |
| 2007 | 482 | #618 |
| 2006 | 554 | #538 |
| 2005 | 412 | #674 |
| 2004 | 438 | #623 |
| 2003 | 437 | #613 |
| 2002 | 509 | #541 |
| 2001 | 502 | #533 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Barbara a popular girl name?
Barbara ranked #968 among girls in 2025 with 264 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #849.
When was the name Barbara most popular?
Barbara peaked in 1947, when 48,800 American girls received the name (ranked #4 that year). Since 1947 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Barbara?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,818 newborn American girls was named Barbara. It scores 65/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.