Barney

Last seen for girls in 1963 at #6,592 · #12,008 for boys in 2025, 5 births
Given to boys 99.4% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1887 · 58 births
Debut · boys
44 births
In top 100 · boys
never
of 146 years
Total births · boys
16,090
since 1880

Barney over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Barney has never cracked the top 200 here.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201927peak #201, 1887boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#12,0085
2024#9,8947
2023
2022
2021
2020#12,0225
2019#12,1455
2018
2017
2016#9,6647
2015#10,6446
2014#12,1085
2013#8,7898
2012
2011
2010#10,7666
2009
2008
2007#10,9216
2006#10,6626
2005
2004#9,9486
2003
2002#8,4567
2001#10,5565
2000
1999#7,8747
1998#5,15912
1997#4,66813
1996#6,4968
1995#4,79112
1994#3,75117
1993#3,14121
1992#2,74725
1991#2,46928
1990#2,30830
1989#2,69023
1988#1,59245
1987#1,89633
1986#1,66238
1985#1,56941
1984#1,45843
1983#1,36147
1982#1,34249
1981#1,25953
1980#1,20458
1979#1,16960
1978#1,10962
1977#1,04768
1976#94677
1975#1,05362
1974#92377
1973#93674
1972#84690
1971#803100
1970#87585
1969#78297
1968#75696
1967#74298
1966#672121
1965#646133
1964#581185
1963#6,5925#607167
1962#548211
1961#530223
1960#6,3905#485267
1959#507241
1958#482262
1957#5,3776#470271
1956#468260
1955#448275
1954#5,1486#449259
1953#402297
1952#409283
1951#420260
1950#415264
1949#450219
1948#419255
1947#4,7646#418267
1946#423225
1945#4,0256#413211
1944#4,5745#404220
1943#418220
1942#464179
1941#435178
1940#415194
1939#4,2505#417188
1938#420183
1937#383209
1936#383206
1935#402184
1934#386200
1933#400180
1932#440164
1931#418181
1930#389216
1929#406205
1928#415208
1927#3,8757#438193
1926#4,8515#409214
1925#3,6648#396230
1924#359275
1923#3,6418#367260
1922#370263
1921#4,0237#351289
1920#4,9755#369263
1919#319304
1918#331299
1917#307298
1916#3,5527#324265
1915#306276
1914#288241
1913#291185
1912#283159
1911#26199
1910#29171
1909#28562
1908#28558
1907#26364
1906#23271
1905#23470
1904#26053
1903#25750
1902#26150
1901#30234
1900#21683
1899#23450
1898#20473
1897#22258
1896#23758
1895#23755
1894#23952
1893#21563
1892#20870
1891#22949
1890#25644
1889#22254
1888#21269
1887#20158
1886#20565
1885#25143
1884#20962
1883#22548
1882#22852
1881#24440
1880#24944
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Barney was already there! It came in at #249, and was given to 44 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 2000–2001, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.

Where Barney is popular in 1927

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedMNIllinois: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedWIMichigan: #292 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 3,815 boysMINew York: #314 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 5,159 boysNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedIAIndiana: #342 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 5,190 boysINOhio: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedOHPennsylvania: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #508 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 7,485 boysCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedUTColorado: #224 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,641 boysCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedNEMissouri: #340 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 4,157 boysMOKentucky: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: #307 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 3,047 boysWVVirginia: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedVAMaryland: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedKSArkansas: #280 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,003 boysARTennessee: #311 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 3,130 boysTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: #302 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 3,066 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #361 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 3,829 boysOKLouisiana: #432 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 4,064 boysLAMississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedMSAlabama: #342 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 3,144 boysALGeorgia: #240 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 2,035 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Barney, so not publishedHITexas: #351 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 2,587 boysTXFlorida: #313 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,917 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Colorado#224 · 1 in 1,641
  2. Georgia#240 · 1 in 2,035
  3. Arkansas#280 · 1 in 2,003
  4. Michigan#292 · 1 in 3,815
  5. South Carolina#302 · 1 in 3,066

Best ever in a state: #89 in Florida, 1915.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Colorado#22451 in 1,641
Georgia#240141 in 2,035
Arkansas#28091 in 2,003
Michigan#292111 in 3,815
South Carolina#30261 in 3,066
West Virginia#30761 in 3,047
Tennessee#31181 in 3,130
Florida#31351 in 2,917
New York#314191 in 5,159
Missouri#34071 in 4,157
Alabama#34291 in 3,144
Indiana#34251 in 5,190
Texas#351221 in 2,587
Oklahoma#36161 in 3,829
Louisiana#43251 in 4,064
California#50851 in 7,485
Alaska
Arizona
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Barney
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 2,114 spots since 2024 (#9,894#12,008)
  • 14 spots since 2020 (#12,022#12,008)
  • 1,364 spots since 2015 (#10,644#12,008)
  • Biggest jump: 107 spots in 1976 (#1,053#946)
  • Biggest drop: 130 spots in 1975 (#923#1,053)
Rise & fade · boys
7 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1887 at #201 (58 births)
  • Births halved by 1989, 102 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 96 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 96 yrs · run 1880–1974
Share of babies · boys
1 in 1,681
  • Highest: 1 in 1,681 boys born in 1898 were named Barney (0.06%)
  • Latest: 1 in 341,615 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
  • Its best rank, #201 in 1887, was only 1 in 1,748 (0.06%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1950s
  • 16.6% of all boys named Barney (2,672) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s535#201 (1887)#225
1890s572#204 (1898)#228
1900s595#216 (1900)#260
1910s2,197#261 (1911)#300
1920s2,400#351 (1921)#388
1930s1,911#383 (1937)#404
1940s2,168#404 (1944)#426
1950s2,672#402 (1953)#447
1960s1,598#485 (1960)#635
1970s755#803 (1971)#971
1980s430#1,204 (1980)#1,603
1990s173#2,308 (1990)#4,340
2000s30#8,456 (2002)#10,109
2010s37#8,789 (2013)#10,686
2020s17#9,894 (2024)#11,308

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Barney in 1927

girls
#3,875
7 births · 1 in 170,347 girls
boys
#438
193 births · 1 in 5,839 boys

Top girls' names in 1927

  1. #1Mary70,642
  2. #2Dorothy35,993
  3. #3Betty35,424
  4. #4Helen25,316
  5. #5Margaret21,964
  6. #6Ruth19,412
  7. #7Doris16,512
  8. #8Virginia15,734
  9. #9Shirley13,314
  10. #10Barbara13,161
  11. #3,875Barney7

Top boys' names in 1927

  1. #1Robert61,674
  2. #2John55,949
  3. #3James53,674
  4. #4William51,476
  5. #5Charles31,941
  6. #6Richard26,768
  7. #7George25,949
  8. #8Donald23,834
  9. #9Joseph23,503
  10. #10Edward19,115
  11. #438Barney193
More about 1927

girls

1,192,431 girls got a published name in 1927; 1 in 170,347 of them was named Barney, which outranked 30.8% of the 5,602 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Barney
  1. #3,561Zenia8
  2. #3,561Zera8
  3. #3,561Zilphia8
  4. #3,875Barney7
  5. #3,875Adrianne7
  6. #3,875Agusta7
  7. #3,875Alan7
  8. #4,286Aaron6
  9. #4,286Adalee6
  10. #4,286Adalene6

Tied with 410 names at #3,875; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1926
Risers
  1. 2,708Charmaine#3,564#856
  2. 1,519Kazuko#2,474#955
  3. 1,152Valencia#2,076#924
  4. 551Cherie#1,414#863
  5. 452Lita#1,148#696
Fallers
  1. 349Janell#748#1,097
  2. 330Sabina#931#1,261
  3. 319Clarine#942#1,261
  4. 298Shirlie#980#1,278
  5. 291Delilah#836#1,127

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,126,915 boys got a published name in 1927; 1 in 5,839 of them was named Barney, which outranked 90.9% of the 4,802 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Barney
  1. #435Denver194
  2. #435Milford194
  3. #435Pasquale194
  4. #438Barney193
  5. #438Cletus193
  6. #440Dudley192
  7. #440Jeff192
  8. #440Winfred192

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1926
Risers
  1. 1,863Lindbergh#2,436#573
  2. 966Lindy#1,353#387
  3. 601Sonny#1,565#964
  4. 467Akira#1,404#937
  5. 442Maria#1,432#990
Fallers
  1. 684Minoru#963#1,647
  2. 611Reno#825#1,436
  3. 406Hurley#916#1,322
  4. 356Adelbert#842#1,198
  5. 330Gardner#963#1,293

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1927