Barrett means bear strength — from the Germanic bera (bear) and hard (brave/strong). Syd Barrett co-founded Pink Floyd and became rock's most tragic genius. Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote the most famous love poems in English. The double-T ending gives it satisfying visual weight. Two syllables of bear-brave strength and artistic intensity.
Germanic bera (bear) + hard (strong/brave)→English surname Barrett→given name
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English / Germanic roots
Barrett comes from a Germanic compound meaning bear strength. Syd Barrett (1946–2006) co-founded Pink Floyd, wrote their early masterpieces, then descended into mental illness — rock's most tragic genius story. Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) wrote Sonnets from the Portuguese, including How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. The name has been climbing in the US.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Medieval as a surname; Syd Barrett (1946–2006) defined its rock-music identity.
3
Today
Barrett remains a beloved choice, ranking #222 in the US. 32,236 babies have been named Barrett since 1886.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of Family Names, SSA data
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How popular is Barrett?
2020peak year
The name Barrett reached its peak in 2020, with 2,010 registrations (ranked #192). The name has actually been around since 1886 — over a century — though it took until recently to find its widest audience. Since the peak, the name has eased to around #222 today, averaging about 1,763 new babies per year. Barrett's usage has held roughly steady recently. Across all years on record, approximately 32,236 American babies have carried this name.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
2,010 Babies named in peak year (ranked #192)
1,763Avg. per year (last decade)
17,630Total registrations last 10 years
32,236All-time total (since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #222)Very popular
Barrett's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — seeking beyond the wall. People named Barrett tend to be creative, intense, and capable of producing genius-level work.
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Genius-level creativity
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Bear-brave intensity
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Seeking beyond the wall
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Tragic brilliance
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How do I love thee
B2
A1
R9
R9
E5
T2
T2
Sum: 30 → Life path 3
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Personality of Barrett
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Bright & creative
Imaginative, expressive, endlessly inventive.
😊
Magnetic warmth
Their laugh is contagious. People love being near them.
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Eternal optimist
Even in dark moments they find the light.
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Storyteller
They can describe anything and make it fascinating.
Every name has a homeland. Discover strong boy names rooted in cultures from around the world — each with full meanings, origin stories and pronunciation.