Girls' name · since 1938
Barb
Since 1938, U.S. Social Security records show 3,853 babies named Barb, peaking in 1960. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3,062 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 3,853
- born since 1938
- 1960s
- peak decade
Barb sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 3,853 recorded since 1938.
Barb has 3,853 recorded births among girls since 1938, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1938 to 1972.
- #3,062 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 3,853 born since 1938
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Barb ranks #3,062 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 3,853 born since 1938, peaking in the 1960s.
- #3,062 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 3,853
- born since 1938
- 1960s
- peak decade
Barb's 3,853 recorded births place it above 95.76% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
19 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Ohio.
Barb's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Barb's SSA record in two at 1956 and the more recent half accounts for 91% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 9%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1938, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 1960 peak of 493, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Barb popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1938–1972
- Peak year (1960)
- 493
- Annual births at peak, across 35 years of records
Barb by decade
1960s is the heaviest window (2,140 births, 56% of the file).
1960s was Barb's strongest decade.
2,140 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 56% of all-time use.
Barb births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 6
1930s
6 births
- 1940s 201
1940s
201 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,460 births
- 1960s
1960s
2,140 births
- 1970s 46
1970s
46 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 2,140 births (56% of all-time use).
How Barb compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Barb's total volume
Barb by state
Where Barb concentrates geographically, total births since 1938
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ohio | | 475 | 12.3% |
| #2 | Michigan | | 463 | 12.0% |
| #3 | Minnesota | | 452 | 11.7% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 358 | 9.3% |
| #5 | Wisconsin | | 319 | 8.3% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 223 | 5.8% |
| #7 | Iowa | | 173 | 4.5% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 125 | 3.2% |
475 of 3,853 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Barb appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Barb's data
- Barb's decade-level peak was the 1960s (2,140 total births); usage has since declined to 46 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Ohio records the most Barbs (475 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Ohio names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Barb
Nearby Names Like Barb
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Barb
Compare Barb side by side: Barb vs Barbara Barb vs Barbra Barb vs Barbie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Barb: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1960)
Similar record span (~34 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1938–1972 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Barb draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.