Barri
A unisex name possibly derived from the Basque language with unknown meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 456 living Americans carry the first name Barri. It is a predominantly female name (91.5% of registrations). The average person named Barri today is around 57 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Barri births was 1964 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Barri. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
456
~ 1 in 751,654 Americans
Peak year
1964
40 babies that year
Average age
57
years old
1987 SSA rank
#7,054
Tracked since 1944
Gender
Gender distribution for Barri
Barri leans heavily female at 91.5% of total registrations, but 47 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Barri as a male name
- Ranked #7,054 in 1987
- 5 male births in 1987
- Peak: 1963 (8 births)
Barri as a female name
- Ranked #10,478 in 1999
- 8 female births in 1999
- Peak: 1960 (35 births)
Popularity
Barri: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Barri from the 1940s through to the 1990s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 261 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Barri by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Barri during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Barris live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. New York, California, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Barri, while Pennsylvania, California, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 16 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Barri
The given name Barri has its origins in the Basque language, spoken in the Basque Country region of northern Spain and southwestern France. The name is believed to derive from the Basque word "barri," which means "new" or "recent." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals born in a new era or during a significant time of change.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Barri can be found in the medieval Basque literary tradition, particularly in the works of renowned Basque poets and writers from the 15th and 16th centuries. These writers often used the name Barri as a symbolic representation of renewal, rebirth, or a fresh start, reflecting the cultural and linguistic revival of the Basque people during that time period.
In the realm of historical figures, one notable individual bearing the name Barri was Barri Arriarán (1701-1782), a Basque philosopher and theologian known for his influential writings on ethics and moral philosophy. His work, "Tratado de la Virtud y del Vicio" (Treatise on Virtue and Vice), published in 1756, was widely studied and discussed among intellectuals of his time.
Another prominent figure with the name Barri was Barri Luzuriaga (1788-1859), a Basque military leader who played a significant role in the Carlist Wars of the 19th century. Luzuriaga was a skilled strategist and commander, leading Basque forces in several battles against the Spanish government during the conflicts over the succession to the Spanish throne.
In the field of arts and culture, Barri Galdós (1843-1920) was a renowned Basque writer and novelist, considered one of the greatest literary figures of the Spanish realist movement. His novels, such as "Fortunata y Jacinta" and "Misericordia," provided insightful social commentary and detailed depictions of 19th-century Spanish society.
Another notable figure was Barri Zubiaurre (1914-2003), a Basque painter and sculptor known for his abstract expressionist works. Zubiaurre's art was heavily influenced by his Basque heritage and often incorporated symbolic elements from Basque mythology and folklore.
Finally, Barri Arrizabalaga (1940-2014) was a prominent Basque politician and activist who played a crucial role in the struggle for Basque independence and autonomy. Arrizabalaga served as a member of the Basque Parliament and was a vocal advocate for Basque self-determination and cultural preservation.
People
Barri + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Barri as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Barri: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Barri?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 456 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Barri going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 751,654 US residents.
Is Barri a common name?
We classify Barri as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 551 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Barri most popular?
The single biggest year for Barri was 1964, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Barri is about 57 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Barri a female name?
Yes, 91.5% of people registered as Barri in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.