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Girl name

Barbara

As of 2025, Barbara ranks #968 among American girls' names, according to Social Security records. 264 girls received the name that year. Its position has barely moved over the past five years — a sign of steady, established appeal. SSA records for Barbara go back to 1880; the peak came in 1937 at #2, with 34,917 babies named that year. Geographically, it's strongest in Pennsylvania, where it ranks #414 among girl names.

Rankings

2025 rank
#968
among girl names
Trend
Stable
last 5 years
All-time peak
#2
in 1937 (1930s)
Babies in 2025
264
girls named Barbara

Barbara popularity, 1880–2025

0.96%1.9%2.9%3.8%18801900192019401960198020002020#2 in 1937
Girls — share of U.S. female birthsSource: SSA, 1880–2025◆ peak 1937

Where Barbara is most popular

Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025AK—Maine: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025ME—Vermont: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025VT—New Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025NH—Washington: #1046 (5 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)WA#1046Idaho: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025ID—Montana: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025MT—North Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025ND—Minnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025MN—Wisconsin: #612 (7 girls, 0.03% of girls born 2025)WI#612Michigan: #787 (9 girls, 0.03% of girls born 2025)MI#787New York: #902 (17 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)NY#902Massachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025MA—Rhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025RI—Oregon: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025OR—Nevada: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025NV—Wyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025WY—South Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025SD—Iowa: #492 (6 girls, 0.05% of girls born 2025)IA#492Illinois: #797 (11 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)IL#797Indiana: #511 (13 girls, 0.05% of girls born 2025)IN#511Ohio: #878 (10 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)OH#878Pennsylvania: #414 (26 girls, 0.06% of girls born 2025)PA#414New Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025NJ—Connecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025CT—California: #1111 (23 girls, 0.01% of girls born 2025)CA#1111Utah: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025UT—Colorado: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025CO—Nebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025NE—Missouri: #516 (11 girls, 0.05% of girls born 2025)MO#516Kentucky: #443 (9 girls, 0.05% of girls born 2025)KY#443West Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025WV—Virginia: #1180 (5 girls, 0.01% of girls born 2025)VA#1180Maryland: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025MD—Delaware: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025DE—Arizona: #1040 (5 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)AZ#1040New Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025NM—Kansas: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025KS—Arkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025AR—Tennessee: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025TN—North Carolina: #1281 (6 girls, 0.01% of girls born 2025)NC#1281South Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025SC—District of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025DC—Oklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025OK—Louisiana: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025LA—Mississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025MS—Alabama: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025AL—Georgia: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025GA—Hawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Barbara in 2025HI—Texas: #713 (42 girls, 0.03% of girls born 2025)TX#713Florida: #1325 (10 girls, 0.01% of girls born 2025)FL#1325
Share of girls born in 2025:lowhighno data (< 5 births)
Strongest states: Pennsylvania (#414), Kentucky (#443), Iowa (#492)

Uniqueness score

51/ 100Balanced
everywhereone of a kind

Well known, but far from crowded — the middle of the field. Based on how many babies per birth were named Barbara in the most recent year of SSA data.

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