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Bärbel is a German pet form of Barbara, which derives from the ancient Greek word barbaros, meaning foreign or strange, originally used by Greeks to describe those who did not speak Greek. The name entered widespread use across Europe through the veneration of Saint Barbara, a early Christian martyr whose legendary story made her one of the most popular saints of the medieval period. Bärbel developed as a distinctly German diminutive and was especially common in German-speaking countries during the twentieth century. Related forms include Bärbe, as well as the broader international variants Barbara, Barbe, and Barbra.