Barbe

Barbe is the French form of Barbara, derived from the Greek barbaros, meaning foreign or strange, originally used by ancient Greeks to describe those who did not speak Greek. The name was popularized throughout medieval Europe largely through the legend of Saint Barbara, a Christian martyr venerated as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Barbe was the standard French feminine form used widely in France and French-speaking regions before the more Latinate Barbara came to dominate. Related forms include Barbara, Bärbel, and Varvara.