Barrett Boy

Popularity: #169 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: BARE-it //ˈbær.ɪt//

Origin: English; Irish

Meaning: English: 'bear strength'; Irish: 'spear'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Barrett has its roots in the Old Germanic name "Berhtwald," which is composed of the elements "berht," meaning "bright" or "famous," and "wald," meaning "ruler" or "power." This name evolved through various forms, including the Old French "Barret," which was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. The transition into English saw the name take on a more anglicized form, leading to the modern usage of Barrett.

The name has been associated with nobility and leadership due to its etymological components, suggesting a lineage of prominence and strength. Historically, the name Barrett has been borne by notable figures, particularly in England.

In the 12th century, the name began to appear in records, often associated with landowners and knights, reflecting the feudal system of the time. One significant milestone in the name's history is its appearance in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landholdings in England and provided a snapshot of the social structure following the Norman invasion.

Additionally, the name has been linked to various saints and religious figures throughout the Middle Ages, contributing to its enduring presence in Christian contexts. Culturally, Barrett has resonated through literature and folklore, often symbolizing strength and resilience.

The name has been used in various literary works, reflecting themes of nobility and valor. Its association with leadership and brightness has made it a favored choice in naming traditions, particularly in English-speaking regions.

The diminutive form "Barry" has also emerged, providing a more informal variant while retaining the original's connotations. Overall, Barrett's historical significance and cultural associations have contributed to its lasting appeal across centuries.

Famous people named Barrett

In this section, you will find notable people named Barrett. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Barrett who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Barrett who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Barrett Foa is an actor best known for NCIS: Los Angeles, The Last Ship, and Avenue Q.

Barrett Doss is an actress best known for Station 19, The Code, and The Good Doctor.

Fictional characters named Barrett

The following list of fictional characters named Barrett is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Barrett Wallace is a fictional character from the video game Final Fantasy VII. He is a former soldier and a key member of the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE, fighting against the oppressive Shinra Electric Power Company.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Barrett, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

BennettBeckettBradyBlakeBrodyBrock

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Barrett. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

GarrettJaredDerekCarterHarveyMerrittRhettTobias

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Barrett was first seen in the United States in 1886.

Barrett has ranked as high as #308 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Ohio, Georgia, and Tennessee.

In the past 5 years the name Barrett has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Barrett is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Barrett was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Barrett.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 2,178 2,138 40
2024 2,017 1,989 28
2023 1,817 1,787 30
2022 1,818 1,789 29
2021 1,997 1,962 35
2020 2,030 2,010 20
2019 1,894 1,863 31
2018 1,844 1,808 36
2017 1,644 1,612 32
2016 1,405 1,389 16
2015 1,167 1,142 25
2014 980 959 21
2013 898 878 20
2012 823 804 19
2011 652 626 26
2010 503 468 35
2009 497 464 33
2008 437 408 29
2007 383 362 21
2006 295 273 22
2005 307 286 21
2004 255 233 22
2003 223 205 18
2002 201 173 28
2001 195 178 17
2000 166 151 15
1999 190 171 19
1998 159 138 21
1997 162 146 16
1996 157 145 12
1995 170 157 13
1994 163 152 11
1993 184 167 17
1992 151 142 9
1991 190 178 12
1990 220 213 7
1989 209 195 14
1988 227 211 16
1987 208 199 9
1986 223 213 10
1985 242 233 9
1984 212 201 11
1983 235 223 12
1982 238 230 8
1981 290 276 14
1980 192 187 5
1979 197 183 14
1978 156 147 9
1977 163 153 10
1976 156 156 0
1975 163 152 11
1974 143 137 6
1973 145 136 9
1972 138 138 0
1971 122 114 8
1970 96 96 0
1969 135 129 6
1968 84 84 0
1967 84 84 0
1966 78 78 0
1965 80 75 5
1964 89 89 0
1963 81 81 0
1962 98 98 0
1961 84 84 0
1960 75 75 0
1959 72 72 0
1958 71 71 0
1957 63 63 0
1956 61 61 0
1955 68 68 0
1954 65 65 0
1953 44 44 0
1952 43 43 0
1951 48 48 0
1950 39 39 0
1949 28 28 0
1948 32 32 0
1947 32 32 0
1946 46 46 0
1945 39 39 0
1944 40 40 0
1943 41 41 0
1942 39 39 0
1941 31 31 0
1940 37 37 0
1939 30 30 0
1938 26 26 0
1937 25 25 0
1936 19 19 0
1935 24 24 0
1934 15 15 0
1933 20 20 0
1932 22 22 0
1931 15 15 0
1930 13 13 0
1929 18 18 0
1928 16 16 0
1927 13 13 0
1926 15 15 0
1925 18 18 0
1924 12 12 0
1923 11 11 0
1922 14 14 0
1921 20 20 0
1920 18 18 0
1919 13 13 0
1918 10 10 0
1917 9 9 0
1916 9 9 0
1915 14 14 0
1914 13 13 0
1913 8 8 0
1912 6 6 0
1907 6 6 0
1889 6 6 0
1886 5 5 0

Top States for Barrett (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 189
10%
OH 102
5%
CA 92
5%
TN 87
4%
MI 79
4%
PA 74
4%
FL 74
4%
MO 68
3%
GA 68
3%
NC 67
3%
IN 64
3%
WA 56
3%
IL 55
3%
AL 51
3%
KY 50
3%
OK 49
2%
VA 48
2%
MN 46
2%
IA 45
2%
WI 45
2%
NE 44
2%
CO 44
2%
AR 42
2%
AZ 41
2%
NY 39
2%
SC 34
2%
UT 31
2%
MD 29
1%
OR 24
1%
ID 23
1%
LA 23
1%
KS 22
1%
MS 20
1%
SD 19
1%
MT 18
1%
MA 17
1%
WV 15
1%
NV 13
1%
ND 11
1%
ME 10
1%
NJ 10
1%
NM 9
0%
AK 8
0%
NH 7
0%
CT 6
0%
WY 5
0%