Barret
Barret was the 3670th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 30 babies. Its best year was 1983, when it ranked 1538th; the most babies were born in 2019 (40). Over the last ten years it has moved down 151 places. More babies were named Barret in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Barrett) Origin uncertain · Norman French, English
- Rank in 2025
- #3,670 boys, up 482 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 30boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 201940 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,389babies recorded
What does the name Barret mean?
Barret is a spelling of Barrett, pronounced the same way, so it shares Barrett's meaning and origin.
Barrett is a surname found in England and Ireland. Wiktionary says it merged from several sources, including an Old French word barat, 'trickery, dispute', and a Middle English nickname for a quarrelsome person; Wikipedia gives a Norman origin translating loosely as 'warlike' or 'troublesome'. Norman settlers brought it to Ireland, where it became established. As a first name it is a recent American transfer.
barat (Old French, “trickery, dispute”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. A surname of several merged origins; the 'quarrelsome' sense is the most cited.
Related names: Barret, Barrette.
See also: French names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Barrett', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Barrett (surname)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Barret popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 5 since 2002.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,670 | 30 |
| 2020 | #4,152 | 24 |
| 2010 | #6,070 | 14 |
| 2000 | #4,805 | 15 |
| 1990 | #2,218 | 32 |
| 1980 | #2,219 | 23 |
| 1970 | #3,547 | 8 |
| 1960 | #3,689 | 6 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Barret, counting every spelling?
Barret is a spelling of Barrett, a name family that ranked #182 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #3,670 for Barret on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,168 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrett | 2,138 | #171 | 9,665 |
| Barret | 30 | #3,670 | 123 |
| Barett | — | — | 25 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Barret?
30 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Barret (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Barret born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 280 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Barret.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Barret?
About 1,300 people born in the US named Barret are alive today, with a median age of 30; half are between 13 and 43. That makes Barret mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Barret by state
How common Barret was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 50 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Barret: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Barret, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Barret
What does Barret mean?
The origin of Barrett is uncertain: a surname of several merged origins; the 'quarrelsome' sense is the most cited.
How popular is the name Barret?
Barret was the 3670th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 30 babies. Its best year was 1983, when it ranked 1538th; the most babies were born in 2019 (40). Over the last ten years it has moved down 151 places. More babies were named Barret in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Is Barret a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Barret in the US.
Where is Barret most popular?
In 2021–2025, Barret was most common in Ohio (0.02 per 1,000 boys).