Barnabas
/B-AE-R-N-AH-B-AH-S/
Son of encouragement or son of consolation, from the Aramaic Bar Navi (בַּר נְבִיָּא) — bar meaning son of, and navi meaning prophet or one who speaks forth, though the Greek Acts 4:36 translates it as son of encouragement. The name was a Cypriot Levite's adopted nickname given by the apostles and became fixed as a personal name in the early Christian world.
Get Barnabas's full report — patron saint, feast day & a portrait — freeQuick — what every Christian parent asks about Barnabas:
How well does Barnabas fit your family?
This page tells you what Barnabas means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
Unlock Barnabas's score — free
Six signals — scored for your family & heritage, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Yes — Barnabas is a Christian boy name of Aramaic origin, meaning “Son of encouragement or son of consolation, from the Aramaic Bar Navi (בַּר נְבִיָּא) — bar meaning son of, and navi meaning prophet or one who speaks forth, though the Greek Acts 4:36 translates it as son of encouragement. The name was a Cypriot Levite's adopted nickname given by the apostles and became fixed as a personal name in the early Christian world.”.
Barnabas is a boy's name of Aramaic origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "Son of encouragement or son of consolation, from the Aramaic Bar Navi (בַּר נְבִיָּא) — bar meaning son of, and navi meaning prophet or one who speaks forth, though the Greek Acts 4:36 translates it as son of encouragement. The name was a Cypriot Levite's adopted nickname given by the apostles and became fixed as a personal name in the early Christian world." and belongs to the Nobility cluster — names with regal heritage and dignified bearing.
Common among American, European, British families, Barnabas carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
The patron saint & feast day behind Barnabas
Many Christian names carry a patron saint and a feast day (name day) — a tradition of choosing a name for the saint a child is born near, or one the family holds dear. Barnabas lives in this tradition of meaning and heritage.
NameRoot connects the dots. See Barnabas's patron saint, its feast day, and whether it aligns with your baby's birth — alongside its full family score.
See Barnabas's saint & feast day →What does Barnabas's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Barnabas resonates in either tradition.
Barnabas's destiny number is 22 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Barnabas's full reading →
Does Barnabas go with your family's names?
Barnabas breaks into 8 sounds: /B-AE-R-N-AH-B-AH-S/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Barnabas sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Barnabas beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Barnabas — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Barnabas
If Barnabas resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian boy names, common in American families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian boy names from the Nobility cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian boy names that open with the same syllables as Barnabas
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Barnabas — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Barnabas
What does the name Barnabas mean?
Barnabas means "Son of encouragement or son of consolation, from the Aramaic Bar Navi (בַּר נְבִיָּא) — bar meaning son of, and navi meaning prophet or one who speaks forth, though the Greek Acts 4:36 translates it as son of encouragement. The name was a Cypriot Levite's adopted nickname given by the apostles and became fixed as a personal name in the early Christian world.." It is a boy name of Aramaic origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Barnabas a boy or girl name?
Barnabas is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Barnabas?
Barnabas is of Aramaic origin, used in Christian tradition, commonly among American, European, British families.
Is Barnabas a Christian name?
Yes. Barnabas is a boy name traditionally used in Christian families, of Aramaic origin.
What does Barnabas mean in Aramaic?
Barnabas originates from Aramaic, where it means "Son of encouragement or son of consolation, from the Aramaic Bar Navi (בַּר נְבִיָּא) — bar meaning son of, and navi meaning prophet or one who speaks forth, though the Greek Acts 4:36 translates it as son of encouragement. The name was a Cypriot Levite's adopted nickname given by the apostles and became fixed as a personal name in the early Christian world.."
What are common nicknames for Barnabas?
Common short forms of Barnabas include Bari, Barn.
What is the numerology of Barnabas?
Barnabas has a Pythagorean destiny number of 22 — the master builder — grand vision made real.
See how Barnabas scores for your family
NameRoot is the only baby-name app that scores every name across 6 signals against your specific family context. Download free — Barnabas is waiting.
Get NameRoot — free