Barra

The masculine first name Barra means 'the fair-haired' or 'the blonde'. It has its roots in the Gaelic and Irish language areas and is often regarded as a diminutive of Finbarr.

What does the name Barra mean?

Barra is a masculine first name whose meaning is 'the fair-haired' or 'the blonde'. The name originally comes from the Gaelic and Irish realms and is used as a short form of Finbarr or Finbar. The roots of the name are found in Old Irish elements: 'finn' means 'white', 'bright' or 'blessed', while 'barr' stands for 'top', 'head' or 'chief'. The name gained popularity in the 6th century through Saint Finbarr, the Bishop of Cork. He came to a region of Cork that was plagued by a snake, and the inhabitants asked him for help. One night, he sprinkled the sleeping snake with holy water, and the angry creature disappeared into the sea off Cork. The trail it left became the River Lee. Other variants of the name include Bairre, Barry, and Berry.

Where does the name Barra come from?

The origin of the name Barra lies in Gaelic and Irish and means 'the fair-haired' or 'the blonde'. The Old Irish word parts consist of 'finn' for 'white', 'bright' or 'blessed' and 'barr' for 'top', 'head' or 'chief'. The name is used in the Irish language.

How do you pronounce Barra?

The pronunciation of Barra is two syllables and has an open sound. It is pronounced as 'Bar-ra' [ˈbara] or with a rolled R as [ˈbarːa], with two evenly balanced, open syllables. The gentle fading of the name gives it a pleasant warmth. Overall, Barra feels vibrant, present, and memorable – uncomplicated and rounded.

When is the name day of Barra?

The name day is celebrated on September 25.

Popularity

In Germany, Barra is a rare first name. In 2023, it ranked 5,488th in the list of the most common male first names. Its highest ranking was in 2022 at 5,453rd. Over the last ten years, Barra has been chosen as a first name fewer than 10 times, placing it 7,739th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 8,916th.