Barney
How to say it: BAR-nee · /ˈbɑrni/
Diminutive of Barnaby ('son of consolation') or Bernard ('brave bear') - popular mid-20th century English nickname-name.
Barney was the 11,133rd most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 5 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1890s, its births are down about 9% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #10,873 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #11,133 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 5 |
| Share of births | 1 in 663,068 |
| Peak decade | 1890s |
| Change over 10 years | −9% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #10,873 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Barney peaked in the 1890s and is less common today.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Barney is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English.
England and Wales: #258.
Famous people named Barney
- Barney Frank (1940–2026)American politician
- Barney Kessel (1923–2004)American jazz guitarist
- Barney Ewell (1918–1996)Athletics competitor
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Barney the Dinosaur, the purple T. rex star of the long-running PBS preschool series Barney & Friends, dominates the name for English speake
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