Barrett: Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance

Meaning
Surname of disputed origin, linked to a root meaning 'quarrelsome' or to Old French for 'trickery/deception'
Origin
English/Irish surname (Anglo-Norman origin)
Gender
Boy
Pronunciation
BAIR-it

Barrett is an English/Irish surname (Anglo-Norman origin) boy's name meaning “surname of disputed origin, linked to a root meaning 'quarrelsome' or to Old French for 'trickery/deception'”. It appears in 3 of our baby name lists.

Meaning & Origin of Barrett

Meaning: Surname of disputed origin, linked to a root meaning 'quarrelsome' or to Old French for 'trickery/deception'.

Origin: English/Irish surname (Anglo-Norman origin).

A common claim: Commonly said to mean 'bear strength' or 'strong as a bear,' as if related to Germanic names like Bernard. Actually: This confuses Barrett with Germanic 'bear' names like Bernard -- Barrett is actually an English/Irish surname of Anglo-Norman origin with a root meaning 'quarrelsome' or 'trickery,' unrelated to 'bear.'

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Barrett

BAIR-itIPA /ˈbɛrɪt/

Popularity of Barrett

Lists That Include Barrett

Similar Names

Bryson · Brody · Brown · Bodhi · Burton · Briggs

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