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At a Glance: Name: Barnabas – Meaning: son of the prophet – Origin: Aramaic – Gender: primarily used for boys – Pronunciation: BAR-nuh-bus
Barnabas is an Aramaic name with a meaning of 'son of the prophet.' You'll often see it glossed as 'son of encouragement,' a phrase drawn from Acts 4:36, but that's the traditional biblical rendering rather than the literal etymology — the Aramaic elements more literally combine to 'son of the prophet.' If you're drawn to the sound of Barnabas, you're choosing a name with a specific, documented linguistic meaning behind it.
Meaning & Origin of Barnabas
Meaning: Son of the prophet.
Origin: Aramaic.
A common claim: Widely said to mean 'son of encouragement,' per Acts 4:36 in the New Testament. Actually: This is the traditional biblical gloss, not the literal etymology — the Aramaic elements more literally combine to 'son of the prophet.'
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Barnabas
Phonetic: BAR-nuh-bus IPA: /ˈbɑːrnəbəs/
Popularity of Barnabas
Barnabas peaked at #2883 in 1969, when 10 babies were given the name, and by 2024 it had fallen to #4571 despite being given to 22 babies that year — SSA has tracked the name since 1920.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1920–2024.
Make Barnabas Name Art
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Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Barnabas mean?
Son of the prophet. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Barnabas)
How do you pronounce Barnabas?
Barnabas is pronounced BAR-nuh-bus (IPA: /ˈbɑːrnəbəs/).
Is Barnabas a popular name right now?
Barnabas peaked at #2883 in 1969 and is ranked #4571 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1920–2024.)
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