Barbie
Fact sheet
- Name
- Barbie
- Gender
- Girl name
- Syllables
- 2
Barbie is an English nickname for Barbara and carries the meaning 'the foreigner'. This meaning comes from the Latin word barbara, which means 'foreign, strange, wild', and has its origin in the Ancient Greek term bárbaros.
What does the name Barbie mean?
The name Barbie is an English diminutive of Barbara and stands for 'the foreigner'. The origin of the name goes back to the Latin barbara, which means 'foreign, strange, wild', and derives from the Ancient Greek term bárbaros. In antiquity, this term was used to describe people who were neither of Greek descent nor spoke the Greek language and were therefore considered uncivilized. Further details about the origin of this first name can be found on the page for Barbara. Particularly in the USA, the name Barbie is often used as a nickname rather than as an independent first name. Worldwide, the name gained fame through the famous 'Barbie doll' from the American toy manufacturer Mattel. The doll's name is derived from the daughter of the inventing couple, Barbara 'Barbie' Handler. Related forms include Barbi and Barbia. In English, the nicknames Babs and Babsi are also common.
How do you pronounce Barbie?
The pronunciation of Barbie sounds soft and round. The name is usually pronounced as 'Bar-bi' [ˈbaʁbiː], starting with an open, friendly syllable. The long '-bie' at the end creates a gentle, slightly elongated finish, giving a bright, light impression - playful, soft, and uncomplicated.
When is the name day of Barbie?
The name day for Barbie, as a diminutive of Barbara, is celebrated on December 4th in honor of Saint Barbara of Nicomedia.
Popularity
In Germany, Barbie is considered a rare first name. It has not even been mentioned in the German first name charts so far. Its best placement was in 1964, ranking 756th in the US first name charts. In the last ten years, the name Barbie has been given as a first name about 330 times in the USA, placing it at 2,390th in the ten-year statistics. Between 1930 and 2024, it ranks 1,968th in the USA.
Nicknames & pet names
Babie / Babsi / Barbie-Girl / Barbie-Puppe / Bibi / Blondi / Blondie / Puppe
Famous people
- Barbie (International blonde doll)
- Barbie Almalbis (Filipino singer)
- Barbie Girl (song by Aqua)
- Barbie Hsu (Taiwanese actress)
- Barbie Kelly (singer of the band 'The Kelly Family')
- Barbie Schiller (German singer)
- Barbie Xu (Chinese actress)
Frequently asked questions about the name Barbie
What does the name Barbie mean?
The name Barbie is an English diminutive of Barbara and means 'the foreigner'.
Where does the name Barbie come from?
The origin of the name goes back to the Ancient Greek word 'bárbaros', which means 'non-Greek', and also has Latin roots meaning 'foreign' or 'wild'.
How popular is the name Barbie?
In the USA, Barbie is often used as a nickname, while it has gained fame worldwide through the famous Barbie doll from Mattel.