Bartu
A Turkish name derived from the Turkish word "bar", meaning "existence" or "being".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Bartu. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bartu today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bartu births was 2014 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bartu. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Bartu. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2014
5 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2014 SSA rank
#12,303
Tracked since 2014
Popularity
Bartu: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Bartu 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 Bartu during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Bartu
The name Bartu originated from the Central Asian region, specifically in modern-day Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, around the 8th century AD. It is derived from the Turkic root word "bar," which means "to exist" or "to be," and the suffix "-tu," signifying a connection or belonging to something.
Historically, the name Bartu was associated with the nomadic Turkic tribes that roamed the vast steppes of Central Asia during the medieval period. It was a name given to children as a symbol of strength, resilience, and the continuity of life amidst the harsh conditions of the nomadic lifestyle.
One of the earliest known references to the name Bartu can be found in the epic tales and oral traditions of the Oghuz Turks, a major Turkic ethnic group that inhabited the regions of modern-day Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. These tales often featured heroes and warriors bearing the name Bartu, reflecting the valor and bravery associated with the name.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Bartu. One of the most renowned was Bartu Khan (1170-1252), a powerful military leader and ruler of the Khwarazmian Empire, which stretched across parts of modern-day Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. His military campaigns and resistance against the Mongol invasions of the 13th century became legendary.
Another prominent figure was Bartu Beg (1453-1512), a renowned Ottoman statesman and military leader who served under Sultan Bayezid II. He played a crucial role in the Ottoman expansion into the Balkan region and was renowned for his strategic military tactics and diplomatic skills.
In the realm of literature, Bartu Altan (1884-1942) was a celebrated Uzbek poet and writer who made significant contributions to the development of modern Uzbek literature. His works often explored themes of national identity, cultural heritage, and the struggles of the Uzbek people during the turbulent times of the early 20th century.
The name Bartu also found its way into the annals of Islamic scholarship and theology. Bartu al-Samarkandi (1112-1194) was a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Samarkand, who made significant contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence and the interpretation of Sharia law.
Lastly, Bartu Kara (1920-2003) was a prominent Turkish artist and painter, renowned for his vibrant and expressive works that captured the spirit and cultural traditions of Anatolia. His paintings and murals adorned many public spaces and institutions throughout Turkey, celebrating the country's rich heritage and diversity.
People
Bartu + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bartu 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
Bartu: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bartu?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bartu 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Bartu a common name?
We classify Bartu as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bartu most popular?
The single biggest year for Bartu was 2014, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bartu is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Bartu in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Bartu a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bartu in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Bartu still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Bartu in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Bartu can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Bartu?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.