Barnard
English, Dutch, and French surname, variant of Bernard.
Every Barnard since 1891 — 895 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Barnard
Barnard 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 1891, 895 American babies have been named Barnard. Its peak came in 1963, when 25 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 Barnard stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Barnard year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys 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 | 5 | #8,232 |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 8 | #4,534 |
| 1975 | 8 | #3,978 |
| 1970 | 12 | #2,745 |
| 1965 | 13 | #2,279 |
| 1960 | 15 | #2,131 |
| 1955 | 10 | #2,578 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | 12 | #2,015 |
| 1940 | 9 | #2,499 |
| 1935 | 5 | #3,688 |
| 1930 | 14 | #2,088 |
| 1925 | 23 | #1,589 |
| 1920 | 8 | #3,232 |
| 1915 | 19 | #1,607 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Barnard
- Barnard Hughes Actor · 1915–2006
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Barnard mean?
English, Dutch, and French surname, variant of Bernard.
How popular is the name Barnard in 2025?
Barnard 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 Barnard?
895 babies have been named Barnard in the United States since 1891, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Barnard most popular?
Barnard peaked in 1963, when 25 newborns received the name.
Is Barnard a boy or girl name?
Barnard is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Barnard rising or falling?
Barnard has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Barnard?
Well-known people named Barnard include Barnard Hughes (actor).