What does barry mean?
Barry is best known today as a personal name — a common masculine given name and surname carried by figures such as the composer John Barry, the comedian Dave Barry, and countless others across the English-speaking world. Its roots lie chiefly in Ireland, where it arose both from Gaelic clan names and from the Anglo-Norman de Barri family associated with Gerald of Wales, and independently in Wales. Beyond naming people, 'barry' also survives in a very different domain: heraldry, where it functions as an adjective describing a coat of arms divided into an even number of horizontal stripes of alternating colour, as in 'barry of six, argent and azure'. This technical usage, sometimes softened to 'barry wavy' to suggest water, dates back to medieval armory. While the name remains familiar if somewhat dated in style, the heraldic sense is now confined to specialists, making 'barry' a word with one foot in everyday life and another in the language of medieval shields.
A male given name transferred back to the surname; also a family name of Irish and Welsh origin.
"Barry answered the phone before the second ring."
Most popular as a first name in the United States, Britain, and Ireland between roughly the 1930s and 1970s.
(Heraldry) Said of a shield divided into an even number of horizontal bars of alternating tinctures.
"The arms were barry of eight, or and gules."
Always specified with a count ('barry of six'); 'barry wavy' denotes wavy bars, typically symbolizing water.
In medieval heraldry, 'barry' didn't describe a person at all — it meant a shield sliced into bold horizontal bands, like a flag worn on your arm.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of barry
The given name Barry derives primarily from Irish sources: the Gaelic surname Ó Beargha and the Norman-Irish de Barri family, who settled in Ireland in the 12th century and gave their name to places such as Barry Island in Wales. A separate Welsh origin connects it to the place-name Barri. The heraldic adjective 'barry' comes from the same French root 'barre', meaning a bar or stripe, entering English through the vocabulary of medieval armory. Cognate forms include the surnames Barrymore and Barrington.
How barry is actually used
As a given name, Barry peaked in popularity in English-speaking countries in the mid-20th century and has since declined. The heraldic adjective sense is technical and appears almost exclusively in blazon and genealogical literature; it always takes a number ('barry of six') and may be modified by 'wavy' to indicate undulating stripes.
Easily confused with barry
'Berry' refers to a small fruit, while 'barry' is either a personal name or a heraldic term for horizontal striping on a shield.