I wouldn’t use [name]Barbara[/name] as is, but how would you make it usable?
maybe make it something like Arbara or something like that
Her middle name, birth month/flower?
[name]Varvara[/name] is the Russian version, which is slightly more usable, and far less dated.
An international variation, such as [name]Babette[/name], or [name]Barbara[/name]'s middle name might be more usable. [name]Barbara[/name]'s not the greatest namesake!
Would [name]Bara[/name], [name]Basia[/name], [name]Varya[/name] (a shortening of [name]Varvara[/name]), or [name]Bobbie[/name] work?
[name]Barbara[/name] isn’t that bad. I would use it in the middle spot.
What about her maiden name?
Use a [name]Bar[/name]- name or a Ba- name. I have a bunch of [name]Mar[/name]- named people I wanted to honor but don’t like any [name]Mar[/name]- names so I picked a Ma- name I love.
I’m also honoring my [name]MIL[/name] by using her initials, and my mom by using her favorite color/gem and birthstone as a middle.
If you can’t find another way to honor [name]Barbara[/name], the following are nice:
[name]Bobbie[/name]
[name]Bara[/name]
[name]Basia[/name]/[name]Basha[/name]
[name]Bailey[/name]
[name]Bay[/name]
[name]Baya[/name]/[name]Baia[/name]
[name]Basilia[/name]
[name]Bardo[/name]
[name]Babette[/name]
[name]Barbara[/name] is dated, but I agree it’s a very nice name (if we weren’t all sick of it, and thus treat it as frumpy). If you want to honor someone, use it as a middle name. Otherwise, besides [name]Babette[/name], I don’t think there are variations that would do the trick.
What kinds of names do you like, that might work in the first spot with [name]Barbara[/name] as mn?
I’d just use the -ara part. [name]Arabelle[/name] would be my choice.
I would use [name]Barbara[/name] or [name]Basia[/name]. I’ve always loved [name]Basia[/name], but I started seeing [name]Barbara[/name] as “ancient warrior” instead of “old lady.” I like the nickname [name]Bunny[/name] for [name]Barbara[/name].
I had another idea – [name]Barrett[/name], which I guess could work for either gender, but I like it best for a boy.
I would use [name]Barbara[/name]. I think it’s a clunky-cool underused classic type. 10 yrs ago [name]Eleanor[/name] would’ve gotten the same baffled looks that a baby [name]Barbara[/name] would get today.
[name]Bardo[/name] would work on the coattails of names like [name]Monroe[/name]. It’s probably the most modern take on it.
[name]Barbro[/name] or [name]Varvara[/name] could be interesting “exotic” options of a name that means foreign woman.
[name]Barrett[/name] is a great suggestion.
Maybe just [name]Bari[/name]?
Thanks!
I think [name]Barbara[/name] is a hard name to use these days, and she is a very important loved one to us.
The suggestion of birthstone is a good one. [name]Garnet[/name] could be middle name material, I guess (although a serious guilty pleasure name of mine is [name]Amethyst[/name]!)
What kinds of fn’s would you put with [name]Garnet[/name]? I’s assume something very feminine…
I like the suggestion of [name]Arabelle[/name]/[name]Arabella[/name].
I wouldn’t use any other variations or similar names though. Instead I would go for a name that has meaning like your suggestion of [name]Garnet[/name].
What about [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Garnet[/name]? [name]Annabelle[/name] [name]Garnet[/name]?
[name]Garnet[/name] is mine & my daughter’s birthstone as well. I actually like the name [name]January[/name] even moreso!
[name]Garnet[/name] is a tough one because it has a bit of a hard sound. But really I guess not any more than [name]Violet[/name]!
[name]Arabella[/name] [name]Garnet[/name] does connect the [name]Ara[/name] & the birthstone
Something like [name]Bree[/name] could almost work for [name]Barbara[/name] as well. Or [name]Brea[/name] or [name]Brielle[/name]?
I have a colleague who just named his daughter [name]Barbara[/name] after her Bubby (his mother) She is growing into this name beautifully. At first it seemed a bit musty, but now his daughters [name]Emma[/name] and [name]Barbara[/name] seem like the perfect sibset. Especially if you pronounce the full three syllables, [name]Bar[/name]-[name]Bar[/name]-[name]Ah[/name]. It’s quite lovely.
I also have a special [name]Barbara[/name] so I’ve pondered this tool
Barbry/Barbre/Bairbe- all pronounced bar-bree
Baibre- rhymes with [name]Avery[/name], bay-bree
Same meaning as [name]Barbara[/name] (foreign/stranger)
[name]Elodia[/name]
I would go with [name]Bay[/name] or [name]Bridget[/name].
I would use a B first name with [name]Garnet[/name] as the middle name. I am not sure of your style but here are a variety of options.
[name]Beatrice[/name] [name]Garnet[/name]
[name]Bianca[/name] [name]Garnet[/name]
[name]Blythe[/name] [name]Garnet[/name]
[name]Brynn[/name] [name]Garnet[/name]
[name]Brooke[/name] [name]Garnet[/name]
[name]Bettina[/name] [name]Garnet[/name]
[name]Bethany[/name] [name]Garnet[/name]