Barbara

Derived from the Greek word barbaros, meaning foreign or strange, Barbara was originally used by ancient Greeks to describe anyone who did not speak Greek, as the unfamiliar speech sounded like babbling. The name was borne by Saint Barbara, a legendary early Christian martyr whose cult became enormously popular throughout medieval Europe, making the name widespread across many languages and cultures. Its long history of use has produced numerous cognates and variants, including Bárbara in Spanish and Portuguese, Bärbel and Barbel in German, Basia in Polish, and the diminutive Barbie in English.