Bärbel

The first name Bärbel is a diminutive form of Barbara and has its origin in the German language. The meaning of the name is "the foreigner" and is derived from the Latin word barbara, which stands for "foreign, strange, wild." This word has its origin in the ancient Greek term bárbaros.

What does the name Bärbel mean?

Bärbel is the feminine form of the name Barbara and means "the foreigner." This meaning comes from the Latin word barbara, which means "foreign, strange, wild," and has its origin in the ancient Greek term bárbaros. In ancient Greece, this word referred to people who were not of Greek origin or who did not speak the Greek language. The first name Bärbel became popular in the Middle Ages due to the veneration of Saint Barbara of Nicomedia, who lived in the 3rd century and is regarded as a martyr. In the German-speaking world, the diminutive form Babsi is also associated with it. Notable personalities with this name include the German politician Bärbel Bas and the television presenter Bärbel Schäfer.

Where does the name Bärbel come from?

The name Bärbel has its roots in ancient Greek and Latin and means "the foreigner." The ancient Greek term is bárbaros ‎(βάρβαρος) and means barbarian or non-Greek, while the Latin barbarus, -a, -um stands for "foreign, strange, wild." The name is used in Old High German and German.

How do you pronounce Bärbel?

Bärbel is pronounced in German as two syllables and sounds soft. The common pronunciation is "Bär-bel" [ˈbɛʁbəl], with the name starting with an open umlaut, giving it a round and warm timbre. The repeated "b" sound provides a gentle, rhythmic flow. Bärbel has a familiar and down-to-earth sound that feels heartfelt and traditional.

When is the name day of Bärbel?

The name day for Bärbel is celebrated on December 4th in honor of Saint Barbara of Nicomedia.

Popularity

In Germany, Bärbel is a rather rare first name. In 2018, it ranked 4,078th on the list of the most common girls' names. Its best ranking was in 1944 when it reached 3rd place. Over the last ten years, the name has been given about 40 times and ranks 4,401st in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it is ranked 2,436th.

Nicknames & pet names

Babbel / Babsch / Babschi / Babsi / Bel / Bäbä / Bär / Bärbele / Bärbi / Ärbel

Similar first names

Famous people

• Bärbel Bohley (German civil rights activist)
• Bärbel Bolle (actress from Germany)
• Bärbel Breitsprecher (German theater actress)
• Bärbel Broschat (athlete from Germany)
• Bärbel Dalichow (German writer)
• Bärbel Dieckmann (sculptor from Germany)
• Bärbel Fuhrmann (swimmer from Germany)
• Bärbel Gudelius (German writer)
• Bärbel Hähnle (athlete from Great Britain)
• Bärbel Höhn (politician (Green Party))
• Bärbel Jungmeier (Austrian racing cyclist)
• Bärbel Klässner (German poet)
• Bärbel Köster (German racing rower)
• Bärbel Kuntsche (painter from Germany)
• Bärbel Martin (American figure skater)
• Bärbel Mayer (German athlete)
• Bärbel Mohr (author and life coach)
• Bärbel Podeswa (hurdler from Germany)
• Bärbel Rädisch (German writer)
• Bärbel Schäfer (presenter)