Barney is a moderately popular boys' name in England & Wales, ranking #298 in 2024 with 149 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2021 with 195 births ranking #246. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 302.7%. In 2024, approximately 1 in every 1,864 boys born was named Barney. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Barney is an old-fashioned friendly short name usually linked with Barnaby or Bernard. Because of that, the meaning can depend on the fuller form a family has in mind.
Barney has long existed as a nickname and informal given name in English. Its recent appeal comes from the revival of cheerful vintage short names.