Barney
Barney: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈbɑɹni/ · /ˈbɑːni/
Meaning and origin of Barney
Root meaning: “growing with barley”
- A male given name:
- A male given name transferred from the surname.
- A diminutive of the male given names Barnabas, Barnaby, Bernard, and Barnett.
- A male given name from Old English.
Etymology
From either the Old English personal name Bera (genitive singular Beran) or from Old English beren (“growing with barley”) + īeġ (“island”).
How popular is Barney?
Since 1880, 91 girls and 16,090 boys in the U.S. have been named Barney (1% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #3588 in 1916. Its highest rank for boys was #202 in 1887. In 2025, 5 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to Barney
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More English boy names
Sibling name ideas for Barney
Sister and brother names that share Barney's English roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Barney FAQ
What does the name Barney mean?
Barney traces back to a root meaning "growing with barley". A male given name: A male given name transferred from the surname. A diminutive of the male given names Barnabas, Barnaby, Bernard, and Barnett. A male given name from Old English. From either the Old English personal name Bera (genitive singular Beran) or from Old English beren (“growing with barley”) + īeġ (“island”).
What is the origin of the name Barney?
Barney is listed as a name of English origin.
How popular is the name Barney?
Since 1880, 91 girls and 16,090 boys in the U.S. have been named Barney (1% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #3588 in 1916. Its highest rank for boys was #202 in 1887. In 2025, 5 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is Barney a boy or girl name?
Barney is mostly a boy name in the U.S.: 91 girls and 16,090 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.