What Is The Origin Of The Name Barry?

This name sounds very English, and in fact it is English in this form, but it is derived from a much older Irish Gaelic name Barra. This itself is a short form of the ancient name Fionnbarr, or Finbar. Finbar comes from Fionn, "white" or "fair" and Barr "head," so it meand white- or fair-haired. The famous Irish heroic name Finn also comes from this root.

Several early Irish saints had the name of Finbar; one of them became the first bishop of Cork in the 6th century. There is a story that the Scottish island of Barra is named after him.

Nowadays Barry can be found all over the English-speaking world, though its popularity has declined lately. Famous bearers of the name include Barry Manilow. The name is sometimes shortened to Baz, as in Baz Lurhmann, the film director.

"Barry" is also a common Anglicized form of the Hebrew name name "Baruch" meaning "blessed (by God)". This is the source for many of the famous Barrys with Jewish last names.

For example the famous conservative Barry Morris Goldwater's grandfather was a Jewish emigrant from Poland named Goldwasser. The last name was changed around 1860, and B. M. Goldwater's father, Baron, converted to the Episcopal Church when he married.

The name "Barack" in Swahili and Arabic is the same name as "Baruch" in Hebrew, and that name is also sometimes  Anglicized as "Barry".

For example the politician Barack Obama at times has used the first name "Barry".