Barnabas
From Ancient Greek Βαρναβᾶς (Barnabâs), from Aramaic בַרְנֶבֻאָה (barneḇú’â, literally “prophet's son”), from בּר (bar, “son of”) and נְבִיָּא (nəḇiyyā, “prophet”).
Every Barnabas since 1920 — 605 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Barnabas
Barnabas is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,669 in 2025 with 30 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1920, 605 American babies have been named Barnabas. Its peak came in 2025, when 30 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Barnabas stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Barnabas year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | #3,669 |
| 2024 | 22 | #4,584 |
| 2023 | 19 | #5,094 |
| 2022 | 13 | #6,527 |
| 2021 | 16 | #5,590 |
| 2020 | 22 | #4,439 |
| 2019 | 17 | #5,373 |
| 2018 | 9 | #8,241 |
| 2017 | 24 | #4,235 |
| 2016 | 13 | #6,402 |
| 2015 | 15 | #5,771 |
| 2014 | 14 | #6,026 |
| 2013 | 18 | #5,000 |
| 2012 | 8 | #8,959 |
| 2011 | 9 | #8,152 |
| 2010 | 9 | #8,215 |
| 2009 | 10 | #7,748 |
| 2008 | 9 | #8,386 |
| 2007 | 7 | #9,880 |
| 2006 | 9 | #8,063 |
| 2005 | 10 | #7,170 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | 8 | #7,923 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7,101 |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | 10 | #6,368 |
| 1995 | 7 | #7,055 |
| 1990 | 10 | #5,025 |
| 1985 | 7 | #5,194 |
| 1980 | 9 | #4,171 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | 7 | #3,875 |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | 5 | #3,725 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | 5 | #4,346 |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Barnabas
- Barnabas Religious figure · 1–61
- Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini Politician · 1942–2018
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Barnabas mean?
From Ancient Greek Βαρναβᾶς (Barnabâs), from Aramaic בַרְנֶבֻאָה (barneḇú’â, literally “prophet's son”), from בּר (bar, “son of”) and נְבִיָּא (nəḇiyyā, “prophet”).
How popular is the name Barnabas in 2025?
Barnabas ranked #3,669 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 30 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Barnabas?
605 babies have been named Barnabas in the United States since 1920, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Barnabas most popular?
Barnabas peaked in 2025, when 30 newborns received the name.
Is Barnabas a boy or girl name?
Barnabas is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Barnabas rising or falling?
Barnabas is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Barnabas?
Well-known people named Barnabas include Barnabas (religious figure), Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini (politician).