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Help[Opinions] Barbara
All of a sudden, I'm in love with Barbara. I associated it for the longest time with suburban moms born in the 1960s (I grew up on Long Island, NY, for the record), and although that association persists, it's now subordinate to my love of the name's echoic sounds and visuals. I also really like its trans-lingual recognizability. My favorite short form is Bara, which I find so chic. Are there any other Barbara admirers out there?
Some combos:
Barbara Aloisia
Barbara Atalanta
Barbara Celandine
Barbara Celestina / Celestine
Barbara Chrysanthe
Barbara Clotilde
Barbara Cordelia
Barbara Corisande
Barbara Eloisa / Eloise
Barbara Eudocia
Barbara Eugenia / Eugenie
Barbara Eulalia / Eulalie
Barbara Euphemia
Barbara Evelina
Barbara Everilda
Barbara Felicity
Barbara Genevieve
Barbara Ginevra
Barbara Iolanthe
Barbara Iphigenia
Barbara Isidora
Barbara Ismene
Barbara Jacobina / Jacomina
Barbara Jessamine
Barbara Jessenia
Barbara Leontina / Leontine
Barbara Letitia / Letizia
Barbara Liliana / Liliosa
Barbara Lucrezia
Barbara Melisande
Barbara Melusine
Barbara Minerva
Barbara Nimue
Barbara Oenone
Barbara Ottilia
Barbara Philomela
Barbara Philomena
Barbara Saturnina
Barbara Scholastica
Barbara Severina
Barbara Sieglinde
Barbara Sollemnia
Barbara Svetlana
Barbara Theodosia
Barbara Valentina
Barbara Veneranda
Barbara Violante
Barbara Violetta
Barbara Viviana
Barbara Wilhelmina
Barbara Winifred
Barbara Wisteria
Barbara Zenaida
Barbara Zuleika
Some combos:
Barbara Aloisia
Barbara Atalanta
Barbara Celandine
Barbara Celestina / Celestine
Barbara Chrysanthe
Barbara Clotilde
Barbara Cordelia
Barbara Corisande
Barbara Eloisa / Eloise
Barbara Eudocia
Barbara Eugenia / Eugenie
Barbara Eulalia / Eulalie
Barbara Euphemia
Barbara Evelina
Barbara Everilda
Barbara Felicity
Barbara Genevieve
Barbara Ginevra
Barbara Iolanthe
Barbara Iphigenia
Barbara Isidora
Barbara Ismene
Barbara Jacobina / Jacomina
Barbara Jessamine
Barbara Jessenia
Barbara Leontina / Leontine
Barbara Letitia / Letizia
Barbara Liliana / Liliosa
Barbara Lucrezia
Barbara Melisande
Barbara Melusine
Barbara Minerva
Barbara Nimue
Barbara Oenone
Barbara Ottilia
Barbara Philomela
Barbara Philomena
Barbara Saturnina
Barbara Scholastica
Barbara Severina
Barbara Sieglinde
Barbara Sollemnia
Barbara Svetlana
Barbara Theodosia
Barbara Valentina
Barbara Veneranda
Barbara Violante
Barbara Violetta
Barbara Viviana
Barbara Wilhelmina
Barbara Winifred
Barbara Wisteria
Barbara Zenaida
Barbara Zuleika
This message was edited 12/31/2020, 1:05 PM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
Yes, I've been warming up to it a bit lately, too. I like the retro Hollywood vibe of Babette as a nickname.
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Babette is great!
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My first thought was of my partner's aunt Barbara who lives on Long Island lol
I also had an elderly neighbor with this name who was lovely but it just feels too dated. Also I don't like the B sound.
I also had an elderly neighbor with this name who was lovely but it just feels too dated. Also I don't like the B sound.
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It sounds barbarian and unrefined, but I quite like the Polish nickname Basia.
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I've never particularly cared for the name Barbara, although I know a Barbara I love dearly. I love Bara as a nn instead of Barb.
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I like Barbara, but then, it makes me think of sculpture/architecture and a sunny beach, which I'm sure aren't common associations.
Other than that, it seems like Brenda but less pedantic somehow. And heavier, in the way of Drusilla (if it weren't familiar).
The meaning bothers me a bit (if I imagine I'm considering if I should use it).
I like these combos most
Barbara Ginevra
Barbara Jessamine
Barbara Oenone
Barbara Philomela
Barbara Scholastica
Barbara Sollemnia
Barbara Wisteria
Barbara Zenaida
Barbara Zuleika
I might pair it more like
Astrid Barbara
Iris Barbara
Zoe Barbara
Olwen Barbara
Hope Barbara
June Barbara
Serafina Barbara
Barbara Willow
Barbara Niobe
Barbara Phoebe
Barbara Rosemary
Barbara Paulina
Barbara Mercedes
Other than that, it seems like Brenda but less pedantic somehow. And heavier, in the way of Drusilla (if it weren't familiar).
The meaning bothers me a bit (if I imagine I'm considering if I should use it).
I like these combos most
Barbara Ginevra
Barbara Jessamine
Barbara Oenone
Barbara Philomela
Barbara Scholastica
Barbara Sollemnia
Barbara Wisteria
Barbara Zenaida
Barbara Zuleika
I might pair it more like
Astrid Barbara
Iris Barbara
Zoe Barbara
Olwen Barbara
Hope Barbara
June Barbara
Serafina Barbara
Barbara Willow
Barbara Niobe
Barbara Phoebe
Barbara Rosemary
Barbara Paulina
Barbara Mercedes
This message was edited 12/31/2020, 4:24 PM
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I'm not OP, but I really like Barbara Mercedes!
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I love how Barbara means "not Greek" it is hilarious to me, it's like naming someone Gentile. Of course that association is ancient. I like it for the reasons you state - helped along by a beautiful young Barbara with Renaissance curls I met in a school program.
Vivian Barbara is the combo that sits in my head all day...
I've never really played with it because my appreciation doesn't extend into love. As Balthazar, I feel it's easier as a middle name... B names seem like furniture for the forenames to sit on. None of your combos are quite convincing me otherwise, maybe Celandine. And maybe Sieglinde ooh.
I sort of feel like it needs a modest shorter middle name for it to work. Barbara Mary, Barbara Wren, Barbara Rose... Barbara Phoebe maybe. Meh. Barbara Hera that's fun.
Vivian Barbara is the combo that sits in my head all day...
I've never really played with it because my appreciation doesn't extend into love. As Balthazar, I feel it's easier as a middle name... B names seem like furniture for the forenames to sit on. None of your combos are quite convincing me otherwise, maybe Celandine. And maybe Sieglinde ooh.
I sort of feel like it needs a modest shorter middle name for it to work. Barbara Mary, Barbara Wren, Barbara Rose... Barbara Phoebe maybe. Meh. Barbara Hera that's fun.
This message was edited 12/31/2020, 4:21 PM
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Playing with the meaning, Barbara Xenia or Barbara Polyxena is fun.
Xenia Barbara.
Xenia Barbara.
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I have a soft spot for the name Barbara. My boyfriend's mom is name Barbara and I kinda wanna use it for a middle name (ex. Olivia Barbara)
I also like the nickname Babs, just sounds really cool
I also like the nickname Babs, just sounds really cool
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Barbara is a retro name I'm fond of. It's not among my favorites - though it was 10 years ago! I found out while doing a ten-year comparison that the combo I had was Barbara Celeste (similar to your Barbara Celestine).
Most of the Barbaras I've met, however, were born way before the 1960s. I actually associate this name with women born in the 30s / 40s (so basically, the mothers of your Barbaras). I imagine Barbra Streisand, despite having a different spelling, contributed greatly to regional enduring popularity in this case, though I'm not fond of her spelling (Barbara needs that third A).
Of your combos, I like:
Barbara Celandine
Barbara Corisande
Barbara Eloise
Barbara Ismene
Barbara Jessamine
Barbara Jacobina (though I think Barbara Jacobine flows better)
Barbara Letitia
Barbara Melisande
Barbara Melusine
Barbara Nimue
Barbara Wilhelmina
Barbara Winifred
Barbara Zenaida
I also would suggest:
Barbara Evaline (ev-uh-LIEN)
Barbara Giselle
Barbara Liliane
Barbara Lucrèce / Barbara Lucresse
Barbara Seraphine / Barbara Serafine
Barbara Seraphine / Barbara Sarafina
Barbara Solange
Barbara Solène / Barbara Solenne
Barbara Valentine
Barbara Zaynab / Barbara Zainab
Barbara Zénaïs / Barbara Zenais
For the most part, I'd try to avoid giving Barbara a middle that also ended in -a.
Most of the Barbaras I've met, however, were born way before the 1960s. I actually associate this name with women born in the 30s / 40s (so basically, the mothers of your Barbaras). I imagine Barbra Streisand, despite having a different spelling, contributed greatly to regional enduring popularity in this case, though I'm not fond of her spelling (Barbara needs that third A).
Of your combos, I like:
Barbara Celandine
Barbara Corisande
Barbara Eloise
Barbara Ismene
Barbara Jessamine
Barbara Jacobina (though I think Barbara Jacobine flows better)
Barbara Letitia
Barbara Melisande
Barbara Melusine
Barbara Nimue
Barbara Wilhelmina
Barbara Winifred
Barbara Zenaida
I also would suggest:
Barbara Evaline (ev-uh-LIEN)
Barbara Giselle
Barbara Liliane
Barbara Lucrèce / Barbara Lucresse
Barbara Seraphine / Barbara Serafine
Barbara Seraphine / Barbara Sarafina
Barbara Solange
Barbara Solène / Barbara Solenne
Barbara Valentine
Barbara Zaynab / Barbara Zainab
Barbara Zénaïs / Barbara Zenais
For the most part, I'd try to avoid giving Barbara a middle that also ended in -a.
This message was edited 12/31/2020, 7:53 PM
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Yes, me! I've always enjoyed Barbara, which is just as well, because we have an elderly neighbour who is developing memory problems and has decided that I am Barbara. Which is not the case. But in a spirit of good neighbourliness, I answer to it without a flicker of surprise.
Were American Barbaras born in the 60s? South African ones were 40s-50s; more like suburban grandmothers! Not Barbara Scholastica, though. That lady has class.
Were American Barbaras born in the 60s? South African ones were 40s-50s; more like suburban grandmothers! Not Barbara Scholastica, though. That lady has class.
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Barbara is my mom’s name and she was born in 1961, so I definitely tie it to that time period. I’ve never heard or thought of Bara as a nickname. My mom’s middle name is Elaine. Barbara Genevieve stuck out to me because Genevieve is my mom’s mom’s name, so I just thought it was cool you put them together.
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