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Name Origin

Barbara is a feminine given name of Greek origin, meaning 'foreigner' or 'stranger'. It derives from the Greek word 'barbaros', which was used to describe people who spoke languages other than Greek.

greekfeminineforeignerstrangerclassical

Famous People

Barbara McClintock (1902-1992)

Geneticist

  • Discovered transposons (jumping genes)
  • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1983)

Barbara Walters (1929-2022)

Journalist and Broadcaster

  • First female co-host of the Today Show
  • Hosted numerous successful interview programs like The Barbara Walters Specials

Barbara Streisand (1942-)

Singer and Actress

  • Academy Award for Best Actress (Funny Girl)
  • Multiple Grammy Awards
  • One of the best-selling music artists of all time

Barbara Jordan (1936-1996)

Politician and Civil Rights Activist

  • First African-American woman elected to the Texas Senate
  • Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
  • Keynote speaker at the 1976 Democratic National Convention

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