Barra in Irish: Finbar
The Irish form of Barra is Finbar, a boy's name meaning “fair-haired.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Irish form
- Finbar
- Meaning
- Fair-haired
- Gender
- Boy
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 170 for boys (2025)
How do you say Barra in Irish?
Barra in Irish is Finbar, pronounced FIN-bar. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Finbar mean?
Finbar means “fair-haired.” Barra is one of the English forms of the name.
Read more about Finbar: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is Barra in Ireland?
In 2025, 29 baby boys in Ireland were named Barra, which made it No. 170 that year. That's up from No. 503 ten years earlier. It first appears in the records in 1981, with 3 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | No. 170 |
| 2024 | 15 | No. 275 |
| 2023 | 18 | No. 243 |
| 2022 | 18 | No. 262 |
| 2021 | 8 | No. 414 |
| 2020 | 8 | No. 433 |
| 2019 | 11 | No. 352 |
| 2018 | 5 | No. 572 |
| 2017 | 13 | No. 317 |
| 2016 | 9 | No. 389 |
| 2015 | 6 | No. 503 |
| 2014 | 9 | No. 403 |
| 2013 | 12 | No. 338 |
| 2012 | 6 | No. 500 |
| 2011 | 5 | No. 540 |
| 2010 | 5 | No. 542 |
| 2009 | 3 | No. 701 |
| 2008 | 6 | No. 472 |
| 2006 | 3 | No. 596 |
| 2004 | 5 | No. 390 |
| 2003 | 4 | No. 423 |
| 2002 | 5 | No. 348 |
| 1998 | 4 | No. 324 |
| 1997 | 4 | No. 337 |
| 1996 | 3 | No. 369 |
| 1995 | 3 | No. 334 |
| 1994 | 3 | No. 342 |
| 1988 | 4 | No. 271 |
| 1986 | 5 | No. 256 |
| 1982 | 5 | No. 268 |
| 1981 | 3 | No. 322 |
Finbar in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Finbar, letter by letter.
- FFearn, alder
- IIodhadh, yew
- NNion, ash
- BBeith, birch
- AAilm, pine
- RRuis, elder
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Barra
Questions about Barra
- What is Barra in Irish?
- The Irish form of Barra is Finbar, pronounced FIN-bar. Finbar means “fair-haired.”
- How do you pronounce Finbar?
- Finbar is pronounced FIN-bar. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- Is Barra a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Barra is a boy's name.
- How popular is Barra in Ireland?
- In 2025, Barra was No. 170 for boys in Ireland, with 29 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. That's the highest it has ever ranked.