Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1919

Barney

Meaning Barney is a masculine given name Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 #12,274

Barney is a masculine given name.

Rank 2025
#12,274
among boys · ↓2,243 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
5
named Barney
How common
1 in 341,615
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1919
304 babies
All-time total
16,181
#933 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Barney popularity over time

16,181 babies have been named Barney since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.190.380.560.7518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 535 535 54 – #202
1890s – 572 572 57 +7% #204
1900s – 595 595 60 +4% #216
1910s 7 2,197 2,204 220 +270% #261
1920s 40 2,400 2,440 244 +11% #352
1930s 5 1,911 1,916 192 -21% #383
1940s 17 2,168 2,185 219 +14% #405
1950s 12 2,672 2,684 268 +23% #402
1960s 10 1,598 1,608 161 -40% #485
1970s – 755 755 76 -53% #803
1980s – 430 430 43 -43% #1,205
1990s – 173 173 17 -60% #2,319
2000s – 30 30 3 -83% #8,542
2010s – 37 37 4 +23% #8,888
2020s (to 2025) – 17 17 3 -23% #10,031

The story of Barney

Barney is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #12,274 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 16,181 American babies have been named Barney. Its peak came in 1919, when 304 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Barney stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Barney?

The median living Barney is about 67 years old; half are between 58 and 75. An estimated 6,100 people named Barney are alive in the United States today.

median 67 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Barney year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 5 #12,274
2024 – – 7 #10,031
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – 5 #12,247
2019 – – 5 #12,375
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – 7 #9,788
2015 – – 6 #10,824
2014 – – 5 #12,303
2013 – – 8 #8,888
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – 6 #10,910
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – 6 #11,074
2006 – – 6 #10,814
2005 – – – –
2004 – – 6 #10,087
2003 – – – –
2002 – – 7 #8,542
2001 – – 5 #10,739
2000 – – – –
1995 – – 12 #4,820
1990 – – 30 #2,319
1985 – – 41 #1,570
1980 – – 58 #1,205
1975 – – 62 #1,053
1970 – – 85 #875
1965 – – 133 #646
1960 5 #6,442 267 #485
1955 – – 275 #448
1950 – – 264 #415
1945 6 #4,061 211 #413
1940 – – 194 #415
1935 – – 184 #402
1930 – – 216 #389
1925 8 #3,696 230 #396
1920 5 #5,057 263 #369
1915 – – 276 #306
1910 – – 71 #291
1905 – – 70 #234
1900 – – 83 #216
1895 – – 55 #238
1890 – – 44 #256
1885 – – 43 #252
1880 – – 44 #249

Famous people named Barney

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Barney Frank Barney Frank American politician (1940–2026) Contemporary
  2. 2 Barney Greenway Barney Greenway English vocalist (born 1969) Contemporary
  3. 3 Barney Kessel Barney Kessel American jazz guitarist (1923–2004) Contemporary
  4. 4 Barney McKenna Barney McKenna Irish musician (1939–2012) Contemporary
  5. 5 Barney Ewell Barney Ewell American sprinter (1918–1996) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Barney, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Barney?

The median living Barney is about 67 years old. Half of all living Barneys are between 58 and 75 years old.

How many people named Barney are alive today?

An estimated 6,100 people named Barney are alive in the United States, based on 16,181 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Barney mean?

Barney is a masculine given name.

How popular is the name Barney in 2025?

Barney ranked #12,274 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Barney?

16,181 babies have been named Barney in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Barney most popular?

Barney peaked in 1919, when 304 newborns received the name.

Is Barney a boy or girl name?

Barney is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Barney rising or falling?

Barney is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Barney?

Well-known people named Barney include Barney Frank (politician), Barney Greenway (singer), Barney Kessel (musician).

Names like Barney

Names that sound and feel close to Barney: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Barney with similar names → More names starting with B →