Barry
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Barry is an Irish name meaning “spearman” or “fair-haired”. It is a common name, overwhelmingly used for boys, with 99.98% male usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Barry
Barry is a name of Irish origin that signifies a spearman or a person with light hair. It derives from the Irish Gaelic name Bairre, which serves as a hypocoristic form of Finbarr, meaning fair-haired. The root elements emphasize either martial prowess or a distinct physical trait commonly noted in early Gaelic (Celtic) naming conventions. Over time, the name was widely adopted as a given name, spreading across the British Isles through historical migration and cultural exchange.
Meaning Comments
- Mistryjamie2: I really think that the Irish origin is only part of the history of this name. I think it is just as much a transfer to given name status of the English surname, which has multiple origins, including from an Old French word "barri" meaning "rampart", a Scottish place name, and a form of Welsh "ap Harry", "son of Harry". There are 74 men and boys with Barry as a given name in the 1841 census of England. 20 of them were born in Ireland, but most of the rest have no obvious connections with Ireland. I do think from looking at U.S. Census records that the Irish origin was the most important. I just don't think it is the only origin of Barry as a given name.
- Superb_play: Possibly derived from either of two Irish words, one meaning "spear" and the other meaning "fair-haired" (ie. blond). Rarely used as a diminutive of the name Bartholomew; and I suspect that would be because of Barry Allen, the most well-known of the DC Comics heroes to take the codename of the Flash (who does indeed have the former as a proper first name, though it's almost never noted).
- Z2cjx7yo_7nm: Barry means 'Truthful' in the ancient Greek language.
Gender Usage of the Name Barry
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Barry is overwhelmingly used as a name for boys. Approximately 99.98% of recorded bearers are male. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Barry
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Barry is listed under Common Boy Names worldwide. Its popularity is relatively consistent across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Common | 1 in every 23K births |
| United Kingdom | Popular | 1 in every 2.9K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 40K births |
| Australia | Common | 1 in every 70K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Barry ranked #2,003 on the Popular Boys’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It fell from #765 in 2024 — a drop of 1,238 places. Barry shows meaningful recent movement in rank, though it remains uncommon overall.
Historically, its best recorded position was #18 in 1944. Its lowest recorded position was #2,003 in 2025. Over the last 5 years (2020–2025) the name fell -1138 places (from #865 to #2,003).
Name StyleMethodology
Barry is classified as Timeless Boy Names because it appears across 97% of recorded years, averages 1,931 births per year over its full timeline, and still averages 514 births per year recently.Characteristics of the Name Barry
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 2 syllables — Two-Syllable Boy Names
- Length
- 5 letters — Medium-Length Boy Names
- Starts with
- B — Boy Names Starting with B
- Ends with
- y — Boy Names Ending in “y”
Name AestheticMethodology
Barry is a two-syllable name characterized by a trochaic stress, where the primary emphasis falls on the initial sound. It is widely recognized through the performer Barry Manilow, whose presence in popular culture frames the name as approachable and energetic. The structure and cultural visibility contribute to a Cute & Playful aesthetic.
Middle Names For Barry
Middle names used with BarryMethodology
Barry is most frequently used with these boy middle names: Barry Wayne · Barry Dean · Barry Eugene · Barry Alan · Barry KeithView all 515 boy middle names.
- Total 948 middle names used with Barry
- 133 girl middle names used with Barry
- 275 unisex middle names used with Barry
Middle name suggestions for BarryMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Barry is most frequently associated with boy middle names that have 2 syllables, Strong–Weak stress pattern, 6 letters, and a starting sound of “d”.
Examples: Barry Daniel · Barry Donald · Barry Dennis · Barry Dillon · Barry Dallas. View all 271 suggested middle names.
Names Similar to Barry
Sound Like Barry Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Barra · Barrie · Bear · View all 34 names
Spelled Like Barry Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Barrey · Barray · Barra · View all 6 names
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Brian · Benjamin · Brandon · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Barry Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Anthony · Timothy · Jeffrey · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Robert · Michael · William · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Barry”
Dictionary Meaning of "Barry"Methodology
A male given name from Irish
Examples
- Above left, Kathryn Bigelow with the cinemaphotographer Barry Ackroyd on the set of The Hurt Locker.
A surname from Irish derived from the given name, or from place names in Scotland and Wales
Translations
The name Barry has 4 translations, for example: in Marathi it is rendered as a name, etc..
More Info
How to Spell Barry in ASL
- B
- a
- r
- r
- y
Comments on the name Barry
Community CommentsShowing 5 of 40 comments
Jackingorie
In 2018, 48 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Barry who is registered male with the Social Security Administration. It is the 333rd most common male first name for living U.S. citizens.
Vegetas_epic
More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Barry are male. Also Dutch as feminine.
B_w54gik_ew6
The name Barry was given to 139 boys born in the US in 2015.
E_hrycmd3m21
Also a nickname for Baruch.
Ryan_cruz678
Barry McClements (b. 2001) is an Irish Paralympic swimmer who competed at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris.