Given name & surname
Barbra
“foreign woman”·“a traveler from a foreign land; a stranger”
Barbra is a variant of Barbara. Interpretations include “foreign woman” and “a traveler from a foreign land; a stranger” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Barbra is a variant of Barbara. Interpretations include “foreign woman” and “a traveler from a foreign land; a stranger” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Barbra is a variant of Barbara. An origin associated with Barbara is Latin.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1882. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Barbra through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 7,758
- 0 boys · 7,758 girls
- Most popular year
- 1966
- 343 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 5 in 2014. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 343 in 1966. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 12,020 as a first name in 2020; 107 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Barbra
- Barbra StreisandAmerican singer and actress (born 1942)
- Barbra BandaZambian association football playerborn 2000
- Barbra RingNorwegian novelist, translator and critic (1870-1955)
- Barbra AmesburyCanadian philanthropist, singer-songwriter, composer, and filmmakerborn 1948
- Barbra FullerAmerican actress1921–2024
- Barbra FontanaAmerican beach volleyball playerborn 1965
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Barbra, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Barbie
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Phaedra
Phaedra is a feminine given name from Latin, ultimately from Ancient Greek.
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Lanora
“the shining light”
>99% girls
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“resembling a pearl”
>99% girls
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“moor” · “dark, swarthy”
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“filled with bitter grace”
>99% girls
Sarita
“princess”
>99% girls