Already have an account?
Get back to the
Entertainment

People Are Surprised to Learn That Barbie Has a Last Name — And No, She Didn’t Take Ken’s

Tags:

Over the span of decades, so many of us have gotten to know and love that famous, iconic doll, Barbie. Remember playing with your Barbie Dream House as a young girl, or dressing her up in glamorous dresses or different career outfits? Barbie was our role model and our closest friend whom we could trust with any secret. And yet, we know so little about her backstory — like her last name, for example.

Last year, people all over the internet were astonished to find out that yes, Barbie does have a last name. (And spoiler alert, it’s not the same as Ken’s — which, you might be surprised to know, is Carson.) The shock came immediately after Barbie’s official Twitter account posted a photo of her with her sisters, along with the caption: “Happy #SiblingsDay from the Roberts sisters.”

Apparently, thousands of users were blown away by this realization. Several commenters said they never knew Barbie had a last name, while others joked that they thought her last name was actually “Doll.”

True Barbie fans, however, were quick to respond. “Barbara Millicent Roberts — get with it people!” One user commented. “Barbie has had a full name since the 1960’s, given by the creator Ruth Handler,” wrote another. 

Barbie’s Family Tree

As many dedicated Barbie devotees pointed out, the Mattel Toy Company gave Barbie her full name, Barbara Millicent Roberts, in 1959. And it wasn’t a willy-nilly decision, either. Her middle name, Millicent, is a name with German origin; it means to be “strong in work” or “industrious.” That definitely makes sense considering how many impressive careers she’s had. Millicent is also the name of Barbie’s aunt.

The rest of the Roberts family — which has undergone a few changes within the past few years — includes Barbie’s parents, George and Margaret Rawlins Roberts; her sisters, Kelly, Shelly, Chelsea, Kristine, Anastasia, and Skipper; and Barbie’s twin siblings, named Tutti and Todd. (Tutti and Todd have been discontinued.)

Barbie sure does have quite a family tree! Who would have thought?

More From Woman’s World

Barbie’s Fabulous 64-Year History + Discover What *Your* Vintage Barbie Is Worth

People Are Surprised to Learn That Barbie Has a Last Name — And No, She Didn’t Take Ken’s

Barbie Like You’ve Never Seen Her Before: A Gallery of Dolls Through the Years

8 Ideas for the Best Barbie Organizer to Keep Your Kids’ Toys Tidy

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items. Use right arrow key to move into submenus. Use escape to exit the menu. Use up and down arrow keys to explore. Use left arrow key to move back to the parent list.