Love Barbie? From her modest beginnings to her presidential ambitions, these are some of the most interesting and fun Barbie facts.
20 Fun Facts About Barbie You Probably Didn’t Know
Updated on Apr. 19, 2025
You know Barbie, right? No matter how old you are, you’ve likely owned the doll at some point or known someone who has. Since debuting on March 9, 1959, Mattel’s iconic doll has been a global sensation. In fact, Barbie is so legendary that she has her own holiday—National Barbie Day on March 9—and multiple Barbie museums around the globe. But how much do you really know about the famous toy? That’s where these fascinating and surprising Barbie facts come in.
Over the years, she has starred in countless animated films and a blockbuster live-action movie (much love to Weird Barbie), all the while remaining one of the most popular dolls on the market. Below, we’re exploring some of the most interesting details about Barbie’s origins, her time as president (yes, really!), her 250-plus careers and so much more.
After reading these Barbie facts, you may be tempted to pull your old toy out of storage. So grab your Ken, and let’s go party!
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1. Only Barbie’s friends call her “Barbie”
If you were to look at her tax forms, you’d see her full name: Barbara Millicent Roberts. She was named after the Mattel founders’ daughter, Barbara Handler, and Ken was named after—you guessed it!—their son.
2. Barbie’s fame is global, but she’s a small-town girl
According to brand lore, Barbie was officially born on March 9, 1959, in the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin.
3. Barbie is just one of seven Roberts kids
Over the years, her siblings have included Skipper, Stacie, Chelsea, Krissy, Kelly, Tutti and Todd.
4. One of Barbie’s siblings is MIA
Tutti and Todd are twins who mysteriously disappeared in 1971. Todd came back in 1991 as part of a Midge wedding-party gift set, but Tutti remained in the wind. Stacie, who was introduced in 1992, is also Todd’s twin, adding to the mystery. Who knows—maybe she is Tutti reincarnated.
5. Barbie is related to some bona fide celebs
The first celebrity addition to Barbie’s family was a fashion doll modeled after teen icon Twiggy in 1967. M.C. Hammer joined the brand in 1991, bringing a cassette tape of his own music along with him. (Yes, you read that right.)
6. She digs younger men
Her longtime boyfriend, Ken, is two years and two days younger than Barbie. He debuted in toy stores in 1961.
7. Barbie has the most impressive résumé in history
Barbie has had more than 250 careers, including paleontologist, Desert Storm medic, Canadian Mountie, McDonald’s cashier, zoo doctor, business executive, secretary and, regrettably, rapper.
8. She’s been to space three times
Astronaut Barbie debuted in 1965 (four years before the moon landing), then returned in 1986 and 1994.
9. Barbie ran for president seven times
Barbie ran her first campaign in 1992, but unfortunately, she has never won the election.
10. Barbie’s first-ever career was as a teen model
Yes, she might have held a lot of impressive titles, but her first job was as a teen model.
11. Barbie’s house is a zoo
Barbie has owned more than 40 pets, including 21 dogs, 14 horses, three ponies, six cats, a parrot, a chimpanzee, a panda, a lion cub, a giraffe and a zebra. No wonder she holds so many jobs—that’s a lot of mouths to feed!
12. She is very hard to shop for
If Barbie were a real woman, her bust-waist-hip measurements would be an improbable 36-18-33.
13. Barbie has friends in the fashion industry
Bob Mackie, Versace, Vera Wang, Stella McCartney and Christian Dior have all contributed designs to Barbie’s wardrobe.
14. Barbie has no shortage of outfits
More than 100 million yards of fabric have been devoted to Barbie clothes, making Mattel one of the biggest garment manufacturers in the world.
15. She is not picky about shoes
More than 1 billion pairs of shoes have been made for the doll.
16. Barbie played coy for 12 years
The first Barbie sold in 1959 had one outfit: a black-and-white-striped one-piece swimsuit. Her hair came in blonde or brunette, but her eyes came in only one direction: glancing coyly to the side. Barbie didn’t look straight ahead until 1971.
17. Barbie is as affordable as she’s ever been
The original side-staring Barbie sold for $3, which equates to about $23.97 in today’s money. These days, Barbies can start as low as $5, depending on the specific Barbie you buy.
18. Rare Barbies can be very expensive
Limited-edition Barbies sell for upwards of $5,000—no small cost for avid collectors like Bettina Dorfmann. With more than 18,500 dolls, she owns the world’s largest Barbie collection.
19. The bestselling Barbie doll launched in 1992
Kids everywhere wanted to get their hands on the 1992 Totally Hair Barbie, which featured floor-length hair and sold more than any Barbie before or since.
20. Thankfully, there are plenty of Barbies to spare
Mattel claims that, somewhere in the world, more than 100 Barbie dolls are sold every minute.
Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on Barbie facts, Brandon Specktor tapped his experience as a lifestyle editor for Reader’s Digest. We’ve gone the extra step and had Ambrose Martose, a fact-checker with 20-plus years of experience researching for national publications including National Geographic Adventure and Popular Mechanics, verify that all facts are accurate and have credible sourcing. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Mattel spokesperson; fact-checking interview, March 2025
- Brittanica: “Barbie”
