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Meaning & History
Barbora (Czech: [ˈbarbora]; Slovak: [ˈbarbɔra]) is a Czech, Slovak, and Lithuanian feminine given name. It is the local form of Barbara, which ultimately derives from the Greek βάρβαρος (barbaros), meaning "foreign, non-Greek". As of 2007, it ranked as the 36th most popular given name in the Czech Republic.
Etymology and History
The name Barbora shares its root with Barbara, which gained popularity across Europe due to the cult of Saint Barbara, a legendary early Christian martyr. According to tradition, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father, Dioscorus, who was then struck dead by lightning. She became the patron saint of architects, geologists, stonemasons, and artillerymen. The name entered the Christian world during the Middle Ages and later spread to Central and Eastern Europe, where forms like Barbora emerged in Czech, Slovak, and Lithuanian.Variants and Related Forms
Barbora has a diminutive form in Czech, Bára, which is commonly used as an affectionate short form. Related names in other languages include Varvara (Russian), Bara and Barica (Croatian), as well as German Babette and English Babe (though the latter is also an English noun).Notable Bearers
Notable people named Barbora include:- Barbora Bobuľová (born 1974), Slovak actress
- Barbora Bukovská, Czech-Slovak human rights attorney
- Barbora Dibelková (born 1983), Czech race walker
- Barbora Markéta Eliášová (1874–1957), Czech writer and traveler
- Barbora Kodetová (born 1970), Czech actress
- Barbora Krejčíková (born 1995), Czech tennis player
- Barbora Rezlerová-Švarcová (1890–1941), Slovak feminist and communist journalist
- Barbora Schacková (1873/4–1958), Sudeten German politician
- Barbora Seemanová (born 2000), Czech swimmer
- Barbora Silná (born 1989), Czech-Austrian ice dancer
- Barbora Špotáková (born 1981), Czech Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower
Key Facts
- Meaning: "foreign, non-Greek"; feminine form of Barbara
- Origin: Greek via Latin
- Type: Given name, feminine
- Usage regions: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania
- Related names: Barbara, Bára (diminutive), Varvara
Related Names
Diminutives
(Czech)
Bára
Other Languages & Cultures
(Russian)
Varvara (Swedish)
Barbara (Croatian)
Bara, Barica (German)
Babette (English)
Babe, Babs, Barb, Barbie, Barbra, Bobbi, Bobbie (French)
Barbe (Georgian)
Barbare (German)
Bärbel (Hungarian)
Borbála, Boróka (Irish)
Báirbre (Latvian)
Baiba (Polish)
Basia 1 (Spanish)
Bárbara (Russian)
Varya (Scottish Gaelic)
Barabal (Swedish)
Barbro
Sources: Wikipedia — Barbora