According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning. She is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen. Because of her renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world in the Middle Ages.
Barbara is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "foreign woman". Barbara is the 860 ranked female name by popularity.
Barbara as a girls' name is pronounced BAR-bra. It is of Latin origin, and the meaning of Barbara is "foreign woman". The adjective was originally applied to anyone who did not speak Greek; it has the same root as "barbarian".
The reason for the name is unknown; some suggest it is from the woman's name Barbara, others that it is perhaps from Latin barbata, in Medieval Latin usnea barbata, literally "bearded moss."