Barack
/bəˈrɑːk/noun
A masculine given name of Semitic origin, also found as a surname.
Did you know?Barack is ultimately related to the Semitic root b-r-k, the same root behind Hebrew berakhah (“blessing”) and the common greeting baruch (“blessed”), so the name is literally tied to blessing-language.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
PS
*b-r-k
“to bless; to kneel in blessing or reverence”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
בָּרַךְ (bārakh)
“to bless; to kneel”
Aramaic
Aramaic
barak
“to bless”
Arabic
Arabic
baraka
“blessing; divine favor”
Modern English
English
Barack
“A given name and surname derived from Semitic blessing words”