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Barrie
How to Pronounce Barrie
Pronounced BAIR-ee /ˈbær.i/High
Meaning: Barrie is a variant of Barry. Barry derives from the Irish Bearach or Fionnbharr, usually read as 'fair-headed' or tied to a word for 'spear'. The -ie spelling also matches the Scottish surname Barrie, best known from the author J.M. Barrie. As a given name it carries the Barry meaning in a softer, surname-flavored spelling.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Barrie is a spelling variant of Barry, whose Irish roots point to 'fair-headed' or a spear element. The -ie form doubles as the Scottish surname made famous by J.M. Barrie, the playwright and novelist behind Peter Pan. Used as a first name, Barrie carries the Barry meaning with a gentler, more literary air.
It crested near sixty boys a year around 1942 and saw scattered use across the century. A man given it at its peak would be in his eighties now, and it reads today as a mid-century variant with a soft, slightly old-fashioned charm rather than a name on the rise.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Barrie mean?
Barrie is a variant of Barry, from an Irish root usually read as 'fair-headed'; it is also a Scottish surname.
How do you pronounce Barrie?
It's said BAIR-ee /ˈbær.i/ — two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Barrie a boy or girl name?
Barrie is used here as a boy's name.
How popular is Barrie?
Barrie was an uncommon variant that saw modest mid-century use and has been rare since.