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Bartholomew Name Meaning, Origins & History

Bartholomew

Pronunciation: bar-THOL-uh-myoo

Meaning Son of a farmer Origin Aramaic Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#3,093
TREND
230
Peak Years
1969, 1971, 1980
Lowest Years
1880, 1893, 1897
Energy Archetype
Emotional & Intuitive

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Bartholomew in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Bartholomew

  • More than 4 thousand babies named Bartholomew: U.S. records list 4,271 babies given the name Bartholomew from 1880 through 2025.

What Does the Name Bartholomew Mean?

Bartholomew is the English form of the Greek Bartholomaios (Βαρθολομαῖος), a Hellenized Aramaic patronymic generally understood to mean "son of Talmai." The first element is Aramaic bar, "son of," and the second is the personal name Talmai, which appears in the Hebrew Bible (for example, Talmai king of Geshur). The literal sense is therefore "son of Talmai," not a description of the apostle himself.

The Hebrew name Talmai is of uncertain meaning. It is often connected with Hebrew telem, "furrow," which would give a sense such as "furrowed" or "abounding in furrows," but that explanation is not certain. A less common explanation treats Talmai as a Hebrew form of the Greek name Ptolemy, making Bartholomew "son of Ptolemy," but the usual and safest meaning remains "son of Talmai."

Bartholomew Name History & Origins

In the New Testament, Bartholomew is listed as one of the Twelve Apostles (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13). The Greek text calls him Bartholomaios, a name that Greek-speaking Jews and Christians would have recognized as an Aramaic patronymic. Because the Gospels also mention Nathanael as a disciple (John 1:45 - 51; 21:2), Christian tradition from an early period identified Bartholomew with Nathanael, though the New Testament does not make that identification explicit.

From Greek, the name passed into Latin as Bartholomaeus, then into Old French as Barthelemi and Middle English as forms such as Bartilmew and Bartholomew. It was used in medieval England, partly through the widespread veneration of Saint Bartholomew. According to tradition, the apostle preached in Armenia and was martyred by being flayed alive; he became a patron saint of tanners and leatherworkers. Churches dedicated to him include St Bartholomew-the-Great in London, founded in 1123, and his feast is observed on August 24 in the Western church.

The Saint Bartholomew's Day massacre in France in 1572 took its name from that feast day. Bartholomew Fair, held at Smithfield in London from 1133 until 1855, was one of England's major annual fairs, and Ben Jonson's play Bartholomew Fair (1614) is named after it. In English, short forms such as Bart and the surname Bartlett developed from the medieval use of the name.

How Popular is the Name Bartholomew?

Bartholomew recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1969. Its best rank was #481 in 1885.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

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How the Name Bartholomew Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You can go to great heights and equally great depths. You are emotional and fixed in your opinions. You are hospitable, sentimental, often psychic, sometimes moody. You are ruled by love and the lack of it and feel a need to be encouraged and appreciated. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.

✦ Bartholomew's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Bartholomew's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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