Nameberry of the Day: Barbie
March 9
On March 9, 1959, toy company Mattel introduced the first Barbie doll at the American International Toy Fair in New York City.
Ruth Handler, Barbie’s creator, was inspired to make the doll after watching her young daughter playing with paper dolls, often using them to roleplay adult life and careers. Unlike the baby dolls seen in toy stores at the time, Barbie allowed children to explore roles beyond caregiving.
The legacy of this iconic doll has moved far beyond the toy world as Barbie has inspired fashion, interior design, art, and popular media. Most recently, Barbie appeared in Greta Gerwig’s eponymous Barbie movie, portrayed by Margot Robbie.
Handler named the original doll after her daughter, Barbara. A midcentury favorite, Barbara made the US Top 10 from 1927 until 1958, and has lingered in the top 1000 every year since. Barbie had a brief run in the 1960s but never rose beyond #756, and only 27 baby girls were given the name in 2022.
Barbara is a Greek name meaning “foreign woman.” An international pick and a saint name, perhaps the recent Barbie movie will inspire more parents to dust off this clunky choice!
In case you missed these Names of the Day:
Nameberry of the Day: Casimir
The local holiday Casimir Pulaski Day is celebrated in Illinois on the first Monday of March each year. In Memorium of the Polish-born Revolutionary War hero Casimir Pulaski — known as "the father of American cavalry — the holiday is mostly celebrated by
Name of the Day: Tallulah
tall Happy Leap Day! To celebrate this occasion that comes around only once every four years, I thought it fitting to feature the name Tallulah, meaning “leaping waters”. Tallulah comes from the Choctaw language spoken by the Native American tribe originally based in the Southeastern Woodlands in what today is Alabama, Mississippi, and surrounding areas.