Barnaby
A male given name from Hebrew, from the medieval vernacular form of Barnabas.
Every Barnaby since 1953 — 380 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Barnaby
Barnaby is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #12,273 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1953, 380 American babies have been named Barnaby. Its peak came in 1974, when 19 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
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 Barnaby stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Barnaby year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | #12,273 |
| 2024 | 7 | #10,030 |
| 2023 | 5 | #12,471 |
| 2022 | 5 | #12,583 |
| 2021 | 7 | #9,848 |
| 2020 | 5 | #12,245 |
| 2019 | 8 | #9,000 |
| 2018 | 7 | #9,793 |
| 2017 | 10 | #7,628 |
| 2016 | 6 | #10,901 |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | 10 | #7,614 |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | 7 | #9,819 |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | 7 | #9,807 |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | 5 | #11,662 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | 6 | #7,261 |
| 1985 | 8 | #4,736 |
| 1980 | 14 | #3,111 |
| 1975 | 14 | #2,767 |
| 1970 | 5 | #4,785 |
| 1965 | 6 | #3,566 |
| 1960 | 8 | #3,108 |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Barnaby mean?
A male given name from Hebrew, from the medieval vernacular form of Barnabas.
How popular is the name Barnaby in 2025?
Barnaby ranked #12,273 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Barnaby?
380 babies have been named Barnaby in the United States since 1953, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Barnaby most popular?
Barnaby peaked in 1974, when 19 newborns received the name.
Is Barnaby a boy or girl name?
Barnaby is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Barnaby rising or falling?
Barnaby is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.