Barbara
#968 for girls in 2025, 264 births · Last seen for boys in 1993 at #8,700
Given to girls 99.7% of the time
Showing
- Peak · girls
- 1942 · 44,739 births
- Debut · girls
- 127 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 64 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 1,436,695since 1880
Barbara over time
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #968 | 264 | — | |
| 2024 | #852 | 317 | — | |
| 2023 | #871 | 308 | — | |
| 2022 | #966 | 276 | — | |
| 2021 | #904 | 299 | — | |
| 2020 | #886 | 301 | — | |
| 2019 | #922 | 287 | — | |
| 2018 | #920 | 291 | — | |
| 2017 | #890 | 303 | — | |
| 2016 | #856 | 329 | — | |
| 2015 | #849 | 329 | — | |
| 2014 | #848 | 326 | — | |
| 2013 | #831 | 321 | — | |
| 2012 | #893 | 296 | — | |
| 2011 | #745 | 369 | — | |
| 2010 | #692 | 412 | — | |
| 2009 | #639 | 465 | — | |
| 2008 | #747 | 397 | — | |
| 2007 | #618 | 482 | — | |
| 2006 | #538 | 554 | — | |
| 2005 | #674 | 412 | — | |
| 2004 | #623 | 438 | — | |
| 2003 | #613 | 437 | — | |
| 2002 | #541 | 509 | — | |
| 2001 | #533 | 502 | — | |
| 2000 | #505 | 534 | — | |
| 1999 | #468 | 563 | — | |
| 1998 | #447 | 579 | — | |
| 1997 | #378 | 700 | — | |
| 1996 | #388 | 682 | — | |
| 1995 | #347 | 758 | — | |
| 1994 | #312 | 871 | — | |
| 1993 | #291 | 951 | #8,700 | 5 |
| 1992 | #247 | 1,128 | #6,670 | 7 |
| 1991 | #229 | 1,239 | #5,521 | 9 |
| 1990 | #207 | 1,388 | #8,117 | 5 |
| 1989 | #186 | 1,493 | #4,527 | 11 |
| 1988 | #185 | 1,505 | #4,786 | 9 |
| 1987 | #172 | 1,632 | #4,573 | 9 |
| 1986 | #180 | 1,488 | #4,853 | 8 |
| 1985 | #169 | 1,677 | #3,805 | 11 |
| 1984 | #152 | 1,867 | #2,613 | 18 |
| 1983 | #143 | 2,020 | #4,141 | 9 |
| 1982 | #130 | 2,348 | #3,692 | 11 |
| 1981 | #119 | 2,531 | #3,030 | 14 |
| 1980 | #120 | 2,578 | #3,256 | 13 |
| 1979 | #123 | 2,493 | #2,897 | 15 |
| 1978 | #113 | 2,579 | #4,157 | 8 |
| 1977 | #101 | 2,845 | #2,665 | 16 |
| 1976 | #98 | 2,968 | #3,724 | 9 |
| 1975 | #83 | 3,454 | #2,361 | 18 |
| 1974 | #77 | 3,906 | #2,946 | 12 |
| 1973 | #63 | 4,433 | #3,013 | 11 |
| 1972 | #58 | 5,080 | #1,928 | 22 |
| 1971 | #47 | 6,453 | #1,705 | 27 |
| 1970 | #41 | 8,026 | #1,794 | 24 |
| 1969 | #39 | 8,811 | #1,440 | 31 |
| 1968 | #36 | 9,740 | #1,314 | 34 |
| 1967 | #33 | 11,203 | #1,132 | 43 |
| 1966 | #27 | 13,123 | #1,100 | 45 |
| 1965 | #25 | 14,023 | #1,163 | 42 |
| 1964 | #19 | 16,481 | #1,082 | 49 |
| 1963 | #17 | 18,295 | #936 | 64 |
| 1962 | #14 | 20,641 | #871 | 76 |
| 1961 | #12 | 23,002 | #1,042 | 56 |
| 1960 | #12 | 24,454 | #951 | 63 |
| 1959 | #11 | 25,359 | #926 | 68 |
| 1958 | #9 | 27,874 | #994 | 59 |
| 1957 | #9 | 29,692 | #919 | 68 |
| 1956 | #9 | 32,302 | #865 | 75 |
| 1955 | #7 | 33,617 | #818 | 80 |
| 1954 | #7 | 36,368 | #985 | 57 |
| 1953 | #6 | 38,473 | #848 | 72 |
| 1952 | #6 | 39,864 | #814 | 74 |
| 1951 | #5 | 40,617 | #838 | 70 |
| 1950 | #4 | 41,556 | #814 | 70 |
| 1949 | #4 | 42,600 | #834 | 67 |
| 1948 | #3 | 46,826 | #783 | 76 |
| 1947 | #4 | 48,800 | #727 | 89 |
| 1946 | #4 | 45,126 | #615 | 109 |
| 1945 | #3 | 38,273 | #649 | 87 |
| 1944 | #2 | 39,196 | #549 | 121 |
| 1943 | #2 | 43,432 | #506 | 150 |
| 1942 | #2 | 44,739 | #478 | 164 |
| 1941 | #2 | 39,543 | #473 | 155 |
| 1940 | #2 | 36,736 | #487 | 140 |
| 1939 | #2 | 37,257 | #468 | 150 |
| 1938 | #2 | 39,277 | #454 | 162 |
| 1937 | #2 | 34,917 | #468 | 144 |
| 1936 | #3 | 31,682 | #547 | 110 |
| 1935 | #3 | 30,698 | #517 | 124 |
| 1934 | #3 | 29,239 | #543 | 118 |
| 1933 | #3 | 26,949 | #519 | 119 |
| 1932 | #3 | 26,318 | #583 | 103 |
| 1931 | #4 | 21,804 | #650 | 84 |
| 1930 | #6 | 18,279 | #738 | 74 |
| 1929 | #7 | 16,038 | #815 | 63 |
| 1928 | #8 | 14,872 | #1,041 | 44 |
| 1927 | #10 | 13,161 | #1,112 | 41 |
| 1926 | #16 | 11,079 | #1,219 | 35 |
| 1925 | #22 | 9,155 | #1,451 | 26 |
| 1924 | #28 | 8,305 | #2,473 | 12 |
| 1923 | #33 | 7,209 | #2,772 | 10 |
| 1922 | #40 | 6,272 | #2,801 | 10 |
| 1921 | #40 | 6,013 | #2,632 | 11 |
| 1920 | #47 | 5,106 | #2,967 | 9 |
| 1919 | #60 | 4,084 | #3,391 | 7 |
| 1918 | #60 | 4,224 | #3,368 | 7 |
| 1917 | #67 | 3,535 | #3,545 | 6 |
| 1916 | #74 | 3,112 | #3,897 | 5 |
| 1915 | #83 | 2,704 | — | |
| 1914 | #82 | 2,061 | — | |
| 1913 | #94 | 1,451 | #2,273 | 7 |
| 1912 | #102 | 1,184 | — | |
| 1911 | #119 | 737 | — | |
| 1910 | #136 | 612 | — | |
| 1909 | #126 | 567 | — | |
| 1908 | #135 | 514 | — | |
| 1907 | #129 | 515 | — | |
| 1906 | #142 | 413 | — | |
| 1905 | #154 | 366 | — | |
| 1904 | #151 | 357 | — | |
| 1903 | #151 | 346 | — | |
| 1902 | #163 | 306 | — | |
| 1901 | #164 | 277 | — | |
| 1900 | #162 | 338 | — | |
| 1899 | #165 | 273 | — | |
| 1898 | #164 | 304 | — | |
| 1897 | #153 | 299 | — | |
| 1896 | #145 | 324 | — | |
| 1895 | #150 | 298 | — | |
| 1894 | #151 | 290 | — | |
| 1893 | #155 | 255 | — | |
| 1892 | #147 | 278 | — | |
| 1891 | #152 | 221 | — | |
| 1890 | #147 | 241 | — | |
| 1889 | #140 | 246 | — | |
| 1888 | #135 | 253 | — | |
| 1887 | #132 | 204 | — | |
| 1886 | #133 | 207 | — | |
| 1885 | #129 | 195 | — | |
| 1884 | #128 | 193 | — | |
| 1883 | #142 | 135 | — | |
| 1882 | #138 | 130 | — | |
| 1881 | #123 | 130 | — | |
| 1880 | #128 | 127 | — | |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Barbara was already there! It came in at #128, and was given to 127 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1880–1883, when fewer than 140 girls a year got the name.
Where Barbara is popular in 2016
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- Pennsylvania#349 · 1 in 1,571
- New Mexico#375 · 1 in 1,267
- Texas#552 · 1 in 2,743
- South Carolina#576 · 1 in 2,551
- Iowa#594 · 1 in 2,600
Best ever in a state: #1 in New Hampshire, 1929.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | #349 | 33 | 1 in 1,571 |
| New Mexico | #375 | 5 | 1 in 1,267 |
| Texas | #552 | 61 | 1 in 2,743 |
| South Carolina | #576 | 7 | 1 in 2,551 |
| Iowa | #594 | 5 | 1 in 2,600 |
| Indiana | #624 | 10 | 1 in 3,029 |
| Arizona | #637 | 10 | 1 in 3,094 |
| Kentucky | #642 | 6 | 1 in 3,043 |
| California | #732 | 49 | 1 in 4,158 |
| Florida | #789 | 20 | 1 in 4,335 |
| Colorado | #790 | 6 | 1 in 3,927 |
| Missouri | #825 | 6 | 1 in 4,521 |
| Michigan | #827 | 9 | 1 in 4,674 |
| Wisconsin | #867 | 5 | 1 in 4,660 |
| New Jersey | #940 | 7 | 1 in 5,225 |
| Ohio | #952 | 9 | 1 in 5,785 |
| New York | #1,087 | 14 | 1 in 6,417 |
| Illinois | #1,182 | 8 | 1 in 7,203 |
| North Carolina | #1,376 | 5 | 1 in 9,062 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Georgia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Barbara
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
- 116 spots since 2024 (#852 → #968)
- 82 spots since 2020 (#886 → #968)
- 119 spots since 2015 (#849 → #968)
- Biggest jump: 136 spots in 2006 (#674 → #538)
- Biggest drop: 148 spots in 2012 (#745 → #893)
Rise & fade · girls
62 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1942 at #2 (44,739 births)
- Births halved by 1962, 20 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 10 for 32 yrs
- Top 10: 32 yrs · run 1927–1958
- Top 100: 64 yrs · run 1913–1976
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 28
- Highest: 1 in 28 girls born in 1938 were named Barbara (3.6%)
- Latest: 1 in 6,088 girls born in 2025 (0.02%)
- Its best rank, #2 in 1942, was only 1 in 30 (3.3%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1940s
- 29.6% of all girls named Barbara (425,271) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,820 | #123 (1881) | #133 |
| 1890s | 2,783 | #145 (1896) | #153 |
| 1900s | 3,999 | #126 (1909) | #148 |
| 1910s | 23,704 | #60 (1918) | #88 |
| 1920s | 97,210 | #7 (1929) | #25 |
| 1930s | 296,420 | #2 (1938) | #3 |
| 1940s | 425,271 | #2 (1942) | #3 |
| 1950s | 345,722 | #4 (1950) | #7 |
| 1960s | 159,773 | #12 (1960) | #23 |
| 1970s | 42,237 | #41 (1970) | #80 |
| 1980s | 19,139 | #119 (1981) | #156 |
| 1990s | 8,859 | #207 (1990) | #331 |
| 2000s | 4,730 | #505 (2000) | #603 |
| 2010s | 3,263 | #692 (2010) | #845 |
| 2020s | 1,765 | #852 (2024) | #908 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Barbara in 2016
girls
#856
329 births · 1 in 5,386 girls
Top girls' names in 2016
More about 2016
girls
1,772,022 girls got a published name in 2016; 1 in 5,386 of them was named Barbara, which outranked 95.5% of the 18,885 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).