Barbe

Barbe is the French form of Barbara, derived from the Greek barbaros, meaning foreign or strange, originally used by ancient Greeks to describe anyone who did not speak Greek. The name gained widespread use in medieval Europe largely through the veneration of Saint Barbara, a legendary early Christian martyr whose story made her one of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages. Barbara and its cognates spread across numerous languages, including Bárbara in Spanish and Portuguese, Bàrbara in Catalan, and Varvara in Slavic traditions.