Barrett

Probably linked to an old surname nickname associated with strife or quarrelling.

Barrett is an English masculine given name borrowed from a surname with Norman roots. That family name probably began as a nickname for a quarrelsome person, linked to Old French barat and Middle English words for trouble or strife. The connection is probable rather than certain: Barrett does not have one securely established, simple literal meaning. The surname belongs to both English and Irish family history; its presence in Ireland is associated with Norman settlement. As a first name, Barrett carries that inherited surname form into everyday use. The old nickname explanation concerns how the family name may have arisen, not the character of someone called Barrett today. In English, Barrett has two syllables and stress at the beginning. The first vowel varies between /æ/ and /ɛ/, and the ending sounds like “it”, rather than a strongly stressed “ret”. On the page, the doubled r and t make the name look weighty and orderly; spoken aloud, it is much brisker. That combination may appeal if you like a substantial surname-style name without a long or elaborate sound.

Etymology: An English given name taken from the surname Barrett. The surname, found in England and Ireland and of Norman origin, is probably connected with Old French barat and related Middle English words for trouble, deception or strife.