Barbara

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ORIGIN AND HISTORY

The name Barbara is a Latin name deriving from "barbarus" meaning "foreign" or "strange." The term "barbarus" was applied to uncivilized people or those who were not Roman. The Gaelic form is Bairbre.

An early Christian marytr became Saint Barbara. The beautiful girl was locked in a tower - to protect her from suitors - by her father, Dioscorus. However, after Dioscorus learned Barbara became a Christian, he murdered her. Dioscurus was, subsequently, struck and killed by lightning. Henceforth, Barbara became the patron Saint of architects, stonemasons, gunners, geologists, miners, sailors, firework makers, artillery companies and artillerymen. She is said to guard against untimely death.

POPULARITY

According the 1990 United States Census, Barbara ranked as the 4th most popular female first name and the 11,413th most popular last name. In the United States, the name has ranked in the Top 1,000 most popular girls' names every decade since 1880. In the 21st century, the name Barbara has maintained a rank in the Top 1,000 girls' names each year from 2000 through 2006.

United States Popularity of the Name Barbara in the 21st Century.

• Year: 2006 Rank:561st
• Year: 2005 Rank:715th
• Year: 2004 Rank:686th
• Year: 2003 Rank:628th
• Year: 2002 Rank:560th
• Year: 2001 Rank:551st
• Year: 2000 Rank:511th

The name Barbara is very popular in Chile in the 21st century. It has ranked in the Top 20 girls' names each year from 2000 through 2005.

Chile Popularity of the Name Barbara in the 21st Century.

• Year: 2005 Rank:18th
• Year: 2004 Rank:18th
• Year: 2003 Rank:16th
• Year: 2002 Rank:13th
• Year: 2001 Rank:13th
• Year: 2000 Rank:11th

FACTS

• December 4th is celebrated in honor of the name Barbara in Estonia, Sweden, Slovakia, Poland, Latvia, Hungary, Greece, Germany, France and the Ukraine.
  
• Barbara of Portugal, the Queen consort of Spain, was born on Saint Barbara's day (December 4th) in the 18th century.

NAMESAKES

• "Barbara" is a song by the music group The Temptations.
• "Barbara Ann" is a song by The Beach Boys.
• "Barbara" is a song by Horace Silver.
• "Santa Barbara" was a soap opera television series from 1984 to 1993, which won numerous daytime Emmy Awards.

FAMOUS PERSONS

• Barbra Streisand - Famous American singer and actress.
• Barbara Bush - First Lady to President George H. Bush and mother to President George W. Bush.
• Barbara Billingsley - Actress best known for her role as "June Cleaver" in the comedy show "Leave it to Beaver."
• Barbara McClintock - Nobel Prize winner for Medicine in 1983.
• Barbara Anderson - Miss New Jersey in 1948.
• Barbara Banks - Miss Arkansas in 1957.
• Barbara Walters - Television news anchor and reporter.
• Barbara Barker - Miss Louisiana in 1953.
• Barbara Baugh - Miss Wisconsin in 1968.
• Barbara Bonville - Miss Wisonsin in 1964.
• Agatha Barbara - President of Malta.
• Barbara Banu - Portuguese actress.

NOTES

OTHER BARBARA'S

Barbara Smith, Barbara Johnson, Barbara Williams, Barbara Jones, Barbara Brown, Barbara Davis, Barbara Miller, Barbara Wilson, Barbara Moore, Barbara Taylor, Barbara A-b, Barbara Aaberg, Barbara Aaby, Barbara Aadland, Barbara Aafedt, Barbara Aagaard, Barbara Aagesen, Barbara Aaker, Barbara Aakre, Barbara Aal, Barbara Aalbers, Barbara Aalderks, Barbara Aalders, Barbara Aalfs, Barbara Aalgaard, Barbara Aalona, Barbara Aalpoel, Barbara Aalto, Barbara Aalund, Barbara Aalund-lowery, Barbara Aamodt, Barbara Aamoth, Barbara Aanensen, Barbara Aanestad, Barbara Aanonsen, Barbara Aanonsen-smith, Barbara Aanonson, Barbara Aardal, Barbara Aardema, Barbara Aarestad, Barbara Aarhus, Barbara Aarns, Barbara Aaro, Barbara Aaroe, Barbara Aaron, Barbara Aaronoff, Barbara Aarons, Barbara Aaronson, Barbara Aars, Barbara Aas, More results

Author: Rich Kachold