Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Barry” come from?

Barry derives from Irish Barra, a shortened form of Irish Fionnbharr, from Irish fionn meaning "fair" and Old Irish finn, traced through Proto-Celtic windos and Proto-Indo-European windo- to the root weyd-.

Ancestry of “Barry”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchbarrépast participle of barrer; barred; bendy...
2Middle Frenchbarrebar
3Old Frenchbarrebar
4Vulgar Latinbarrabarrier
5Frankishbarabar, beam, barrier, fence
6Proto-Germanicbarōbeam, bar, barrier
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰerH-to pierce; to strike; brown

Words derived from “Barry”

  • Bazza
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰerH- →