The origin and meaning of Barrett are somewhat contested, but it's believed to mean "quarrelsome" or "deceptive," stemming from the Old French word barat, meaning "strife" or "contention." Other experts suggest that it means "bear" or "bear-like." Barrett was originally a surname, but has risen in popularity in recent years. It debuted on the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 in 1954, but didn't crack the top 250 until 2017. It has since entered the top 100 twice, in 2020 and 2021. Today, it's more popular than its close relative Garrett and was the name Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson gave her son, Barrett "Bear" Madison, born in December 2023. It's also the name country music star Brantley Gilbert gave his son, Barrett Hardy-Clay, born in 2017.
