Barb
A diminutive of the female given name Barbara.
Every Barb since 1938 — 3,853 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Barb
Barb is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1938, 3,853 American babies have been named Barb. Its peak came in 1960, when 493 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Barb stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Barb year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | 25 | #2,782 |
| 1965 | 149 | #815 |
| 1960 | 493 | #440 |
| 1955 | 51 | #1,406 |
| 1950 | 17 | #2,444 |
| 1945 | 17 | #2,071 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Barb mean?
A diminutive of the female given name Barbara.
How popular is the name Barb in 2025?
Barb did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Barb?
3,853 babies have been named Barb in the United States since 1938, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Barb most popular?
Barb peaked in 1960, when 493 newborns received the name.
Is Barb a boy or girl name?
Barb is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Barb rising or falling?
Barb has been roughly stable over the past decade.