Barry (name)
Barry is both a given name and a surname. The given name is an Anglicised form of several Irish personal names, while the surname has numerous etymological origins, and is derived from both place names and personal names.
Etymology
Of given name
The given name Barry is derived from Gaelic,[1] possibly being an Anglicised form of the personal name Báire, which is a short form of the related Irish names Bairrfhionn[2] or Barrfind ("fair-headed", "fair-haired").[3] and Finbar, or Fionnbharr ("fair-topped", "fair-haired").[4]
For example, Barry is sometimes derived from the Irish Bairre, Barra, and Barre, which are in turn forms of the name Barrfind.[5] Furthermore, Barry is sometimes an Anglicised form of the Irish Finnbarr, which also has short forms of Bairre, Barra, and Barre.[6] Similarly, Barry is sometimes an Anglicised form of the latter short form Barra.[7] In other cases, Barry is an Anglicised form of the Irish Berach ("pointed", "spear", "sharp").[8]
Since the twentieth century, the name has become very popular in Australia. A variant form of the given name is Barrie. In the Netherlands the form Berry is also used. Pet forms of the name are Baz and Bazza.[9]
Barry may also be a hypocorism for Bartholomew.
As a given name, Barry is currently less common than it once was. It rose in popularity during the 1930s and 1940s, and was in the top 100 names through the 1970s. In recent years, the name has not even made the top 1000 list of names (the last time was in 2004, where it ranked 963). Barry's highest rank was 61, which was achieved in 1962.[10]
Of surname
The surname Barry has numerous origins.
In some cases it is an Anglicised form of the Irish Ó Beargha, meaning "descendant of Beargh". The byname Beargh means "plunderer" or "spear-like". In other cases Barry is an Anglicisation of the Irish Ó Báire, meaning "descendant of Báire".[4] In other cases Barry is a patronymic form of the personal name Henry.[2] In such cases, the name is partly derived from the Welsh ap Harry, as is the case of the similar surname Parry.[11] In other cases, the surname Barry is derived from a place name, sometimes seemingly of Continental origin,[12] and sometimes derived from a British place name, such as Barry, Angus in Scotland.[13]
The surname Barry, when born in Ireland, is chiefly derived from the name borne by the Norman de Barry family.[14] In Irish, this family's name is rendered de Barra. In Ireland, the surname Barry is most common in Munster and south Leinster. The concentrations of the surname in County Limerick could correspond with the Ó Beargha origin of the name, while the concentration of the surname in West Cork could correspond with the Ó Báire origin.[15]
There is a surname Barry, variant form of the rarer Barri, typical of the south of France, that means "rampart, city wall" and by extension "suburb", that is to say somebody from the suburb or living near the rampart. Variant forms Delbarry and Dubarry.[16]
Geographical distribution
As of 2014, 59.3% of all known bearers of the surname Barry were residents of Guinea (frequency 1:17), 14.7% of Burkina Faso (1:104), 5.4% of the United States (1:5,629), 4.5% of Senegal (1:274), 3.7% of Mali (1:384), 1.2% of England (1:3,951), 1.1% of Ireland (1:362) and 1.0% of Australia (1:2,004).[17]
People with the surname
- A. Constantine Barry (1815–1888), American educator and politician
- Alice Mary Barry (1880–1955), Irish doctor
- Alfred Barry (1826–1910), Anglican Bishop of Sydney; second son of Charles Barry
- Angela Barry, Bermudian writer and educator
- Ann Street Barry (1734–1801), English actress; second wife of Spranger Barry
- Bonny Barry (born 1960), Australian politician
- Brent Barry (born 1971), American sports commentator and basketball player; third son of Rick Barry
- Brian Barry (1936–2009), British philosopher
- Canyon Barry (born 1994), American basketball player; youngest son of Rick Barry
- Charles Barry (1795–1860), English architect, main designer of the Palace of Westminster
- Charles Barry, Jr. (1823–1900), English architect; eldest son of Charles Barry
- Christian Barry, American philosopher
- Christopher Barry (born 1925), British television director
- Claudja Barry (born 1952), Jamaican-Canadian singer and actress
- B. Constance Barry, American actor
- Damion Barry (born 1982), Trinidadian sprinter
- Daniel Barry (disambiguation)
- Dave Barry (born 1947), American author and columnist, winner of the Pulitzer Prize
- David Barry (disambiguation)
- David de Barry, 5th Viscount Barry (c. 1550–1617), Irish peer
- Dede Barry (born 1972), American cyclist
- Denis Barry (1929–2003), president of the United States Chess Federation (1993–96)
- Dick Barry (1926–2013), American politician and lawyer
- Donald T. Barry (1928–2017), American politician
- Don "Red" Barry (1912–1980), American film actor
- Drew Barry (born 1973), American retired basketball player; fourth son of Rick Barry
- Edward Middleton Barry (1830–80), English architect; third son of Charles Barry
- Elizabeth Barry (1658–1713), English actress
- Fred Barry (born 1948), American football player in the National Football League
- Frederick G. Barry (1845–1909), member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Gareth Barry (born 1981), English footballer
- Garret Barry (disambiguation)
- Gene Barry (1919–2009), American stage, screen and television actor
- Gerald Barry (disambiguation)
- Glenn Barry, American musician, bass player in the symphonic metal band Kamelot
- Grant Barry, American musician
- Hilary Barry (born 1969), New Zealand television personality
- Jack Barry (disambiguation)
- James Barry (disambiguation)
- James de Barry, 4th Viscount Buttevant (1520–81), Irish peer
- Jason Barry-Smith (born 1969), Australian operatic baritone, vocal coach, composer and arranger
- Jeff Barry (born 1938), American pop music songwriter, singer and record producer
- Jeff Barry (baseball) (born 1968), was a Major League Baseball player
- J. Esmonde Barry (1923–2007), Canadian healthcare activist and political commentator
- Joan Barry (disambiguation)
- Joe Barry (disambiguation), several people
- John Barry (disambiguation)
- John Wolfe-Barry (1836–1918), English civil engineer, co-designer of Tower Bridge; youngest son of Charles Barry
- Jon Barry (born 1969), American television analyst and basketball player; second son of Rick Barry
- Jonathan Barry (born 1988), Bahamian cricketer
- Jonathan B. Barry (born 1945), American Democratic politician, businessman, and farmer
- Joseph Barry (born 1940), American real estate developer
- Joyce Barry (1919–1999), Australian cyclist
- Kate Barry (1752–1823), heroine of the American Revolutionary War
- Keith Barry (born 1976), Irish illusionist, mentalist and close-up magician
- Kevin Barry (1902–20), Irish Republican Army member
- Kevin Barry (boxer) (born 1959), New Zealand boxer, boxing trainer and manager
- Krystal Barry, American beauty queen
- Kyra Tirana Barry (born 1966), Team Leader for United States Women's National wrestling team
- Len Barry, American vocalist, songwriter and record producer
- Leo Barry (born 1977), Australian rules footballer
- Liam Barry (born 1971), New Zealand rugby union player
- Luís Filipe Silva Barry (born 1982), Portuguese football player known simply as Barry
- Lyall Barry, New Zealand swimmer
- Lynda Barry (born 1956), American cartoonist, author, and teacher
- Lynn Norenberg Barry (born 1959), American basketball player and administrator; current wife of Rick Barry and mother of Canyon Barry
- Madame du Barry (1743–1793), French courtier
- Mamadou Barry, Guinean footballer
- Margaret Stuart Barry (born 1927), English writer
- Marion Barry (1936–2014), American politician
- Martin Barry (1802–1855), British physician and embryologist
- Marty Barry (1905–1969), Canadian ice hockey player
- Mary Barry, Canadian musician
- Maryanne Trump Barry (born 1937), American attorney
- Max Barry (born 1973), Australian author
- Michael Barry (disambiguation)
- Morris Barry (1918–2000), English TV producer
- Norman Barry (1897–1988), American judge, politician, and football coach
- Norman P. Barry (1944–2008), English philosopher
- Pat Barry (kickboxer) (born 1979), American kickboxer and retired mixed martial artist
- Patricia Barry (1922–2016), American actress
- Patrick Barry (disambiguation)
- Paul Barry (disambiguation), several people
- Peter Barry (1928–2016), Irish Fine Gael politician and businessman
- Philip Barry (1896–1949), American dramatist
- Rahmane Barry (born 1986), Senegalese footballer
- Ralph Andrews Barry (1883–1939), philatelic writer
- Raymond J. Barry (born 1937), American actor
- Redmond Barry (1813–1880), Anglo-Irish-Australian judge
- Richard Barry (disambiguation)
- Rick Barry (born 1944), American basketball player
- Robert L. Barry (born 1934), American diplomat
- Rod Barry, American pornographic actor
- Sam Barry (1892–1959), American sportsman
- Scooter Barry (born 1966), American basketball player; oldest son of Rick Barry
- Sebastian Barry (born 1955), Irish writer
- Spranger Barry (1719–1777), Irish actor
- Stuart Milner-Barry (1906–1995), British codebreaker, civil servant and chess player
- Susan R. Barry, American neurobiologist
- Sy Barry (born 1928), American comic-strip artist
- Thomas A. Barry (c. 1879–1947), American college football coach and player, lawyer, and industrial adviser
- Todd Barry (born 1964), American actor and comedian
- Tom Barry (soldier) (1897–1980), Irish soldier
- Tom Barry (screenwriter) (1885–1931), American screenwriter
- Viola Barry (1894–1964), American film actress
- Warren E. Barry, American politician
- Wesley Barry (1907–1994), American child actor
- William Barry (disambiguation)
People with the given name
- Barry Alvarez (born 1946), American football coach and sports administrator
- Barry Asher, American bowler
- Barry Atsma, Dutch actor
- Barry K. Barnes, English stage and screen actor
- Barry Beckett, American musician
- Barry Bonds (born 1964), American baseball player
- Barry Bostwick, American actor
- Barry Chuckle, (born 1944) English comedian and half of the Chuckle Brothers double act
- Barry Cottle (born 1961/62), American businessman, CEO of Scientific Games Corporation
- Barry Crane, American television producer
- Barry Cryer, British comedian
- Barry Davies, BBC sports commentator
- Barry Diller, American businessman
- Barry Evans (disambiguation)
- Barry Fantoni, British writer, painter and jazz musician
- Barry Ferguson, footballer who plays for Scotland and Blackpool FC
- Barry Fitzgerald, Irish and American stage and motion picture actor
- Barry George (born 1960), British criminal
- Sir Barry Gibb (born 1946), English singer and musician, member of the Bee Gees
- Barry Goldwater (1909–1998), American politician
- Barry Hall, Australian rules footballer
- Barry Hawkins, English snooker player
- Barry Hay, Dutch singer
- Barry Hearn, English sporting events promoter
- Barry Humphries (born 1934), Australian comedian
- Sir Barry Jackson (Theatre director), English theatre director and founder of the Birmingham Repertory
- Barry John (born 1945), Welsh rugby union player
- Barry Jones (disambiguation)
- Barry Kramer, American basketball player and jurist
- Barry Larkin (born 1964), American baseball player
- Barry Latman, American baseball player
- Barry Levinson, American film director
- Barry Lopez, American author
- Barry Lewis (cook), British YouTuber
- Barry Lewis (cricketer), English cricketer
- Barry MacKay (actor) (1906–1985), British stage and screen actor
- Barry Manilow, American singer
- Barry McConnell, English footballer
- Barry McGuigan, Irish boxer
- Barry Melrose, Canadian hockey player/coach/commentator
- Barry Nadech, Thai model and actor
- Barry Nelson, American actor
- Barry Newman, American actor
- Barry Norman, British film critic
- Barry O'Farrell, Australian politician
- Barry Otto, Australian actor
- Barry Paul (born 1948), British Olympic fencer
- Barry Richards (born 1945) South African cricketer
- Barry Richardson (disambiguation)
- Barry Sanders, American football player
- Barry Simon, American mathematical physicist
- Barry Sullivan (actor), American actor
- Barry Sullivan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Barry Took, British screenwriter
- Barry Van Dyke, American actor
- Barry White, American singer
- Barry Williams (disambiguation)
People with the nickname
- John Finbar Barry Cassin (1924–2017), Irish actor
- Charles Francis Barry Cullen (born 1935), Canadian former National Hockey League player
- Barrington Barry Cunliffe (born 1939), British archaeologist and academic
- Bernard Barry Freundel (born 1951), former rabbi and convicted voyeur
- Barrington Barry Hayles (born 1972), British footballer
- Bernardus Barry Hulshoff (1946–2020), Dutch footballer
- Finbar Patrick Barry McGuigan (born 1961), Irish boxing promoter and retired boxer
- Jerome Barry Morgan (musician) (1944–2007), British drummer
- Barron Barry Rogers (1935–1991), American jazz and salsa trombonist
- Adler Berriman Barry Seal (1939–1986), American airline pilot, drug smuggler and informant
- Bernard Barry Sherman (1942–2017), Canadian billionaire, businessman, philanthropist and murder victim
- James Barry Waldrep (born 1962), American musician, songwriter and composer
Fictional characters with the given name
- Barry (American Dad!), a character on the TV series American Dad!
- Barry (Pokémon), a character from the Pokémon video game series.
- Barry and Co., characters in the Conker series
- Barry Allen, The Flash's real name
- Barry Barry, a character from the TV series Waterloo Road
- Barry, Steve Levy's partner in George Shrinks
- Barry Benson, the protagonist in Bee Movie
- Barry Burton from Resident Evil
- Barry Dejay, the color commentary in Backyard Basketball
- Barry Evans (EastEnders), a character from the TV series EastEnders
- Barry Kripke, a character on the TV series The Big Bang Theory
- Barry Lyndon, title character of the novel The Luck of Barry Lyndon and its 1975 film adaptation Barry Lyndon
- Barry McKenzie, Australian comic strip and movie character
- Barry Bluejeans, character from The Adventure Zone podcast
- Barry Berkman/Barry Block on the TV series Barry
- Barry Walker, a character in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why
See also
Citations
- Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. xvii.
- Barry Family History (n.d.).
- Ó Corráin; Maguire (1981) pp. 29, 101.
- Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 30; Barry Family History (n.d.).
- Ó Corráin; Maguire (1981) p. 29.
- Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) pp. 28, 342; Ó Corráin; Maguire (1981) p. 101.
- Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) pp. 28, 342.
- Ó Corráin; Maguire (1981) p. 31.
- Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 28.
- "Boys Names", Popularity and Meaning of Barry, BestLittleBaby.com, retrieved 11 July 2016
- Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 339; Barry Family History (n.d.); Parry Family History (n.d.).
- Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 30.
- Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 30; Black (1971) p. 57.
- Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 30; MacLysaght (1972) pp. 52–54.
- de Bhulbh (1997) p. 136.
- Albert Dauzat, Noms et prénoms de France, Librairie Larousse 1980, édition revue et commentée par Marie-Thérèse Morlet, p. 28a.
- Barry surname distribution
References
- "Barry Family History". Ancestry.com. n.d. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
- "Parry Family History". Ancestry.com. n.d. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
- Black, GF (1971) [1946]. The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History. New York: The New York Public Library. ISBN 0-87104-172-3. OL 8346130M – via Open Library.
- de Bhulbh, S (1997). Sloinnte na h-Éireann: Irish Surnames. Limerick: Comhar-Chumann Íde Naofa Teo. ISBN 0-9530560-0-7. OL 316008M – via Open Library.
- Hanks, P; Hardcastle, K; Hodges, F (2006) [1990]. A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1.
- MacLysaght, E (1972). Irish Families: Their Names, Arms and Origins (3rd ed.). New York: Crown Publishers. OL 23251759M – via Open Library.
- Ó Corráin, D; Maguire, F (1981). Gaelic Personal names. Dublin: Academy Press. ISBN 0 906187 39 7 – via Google Books.
- Reaney, PH (1995). Wilson, RM (ed.). A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-8631464.