NameChart

Barney

Boy name

Barney has been given to 16,181 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1919.

Meaning & origin /ˈbɑɹni/

From either the Old English personal name Bera (genitive singular Beran) or from Old English beren (“growing with barley”) + īeġ (“island”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

076152228304 18801900192019401960198020002020 Girls Boys
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

16,181

Peak year

1919 (304 babies)

Rank in 2025

Below top 1000

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▼ -17%

Gender split

1% girls / 99% boys

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Barney.

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