Imitated but never duplicated, Barbie is one of the most successful toys ever. Many of my Barbie® memories include my friends and I cutting her hair, searching for her high-heeled shoes and creating our own swimming pool in the bathroom sink. Barbie was certainly my favorite toy and I am sure many of you would agree (yes, even you guys. . . we know you loved to wage war on her with your G.I. Joes).
Barbie was first introduced at The New York Toy Show in 1959, and she was unlike anything else in the market. Barbie had the fashion sense of paper dolls, the realism of baby dolls, and the beauty of a young woman who would go on to inspire the imaginations of millions of little girls. Within ten years, Mattel had sold $500 million in products.
Many people do not realize that Barbie, and her boyfriend Ken, were actually inspired by real people. They were named after the children of Ruth and Elliot Handler, the doll’s creator. That’s right — the original Barbie (Barbara) and Ken (Kenneth) were brother and sister!
Since 1959, Barbie has appeared in many forms, under many names, and with many different styles. Even her measurements {which were originally estimated at 36 inches (chest), 18 inches (waist) and 33 inches (hips)} were adjusted to suit a changing market. The brand’s unique ability to adapt to both culture and trends has kept it strong for a half-century.
To commemorate the upcoming 50th anniversary, Mattel has created an impressive look back in the history of the Baribe doll.
Here are some of my favorite Barbie names:
1959 Plantation Belle
1964 Miss Barbie (gotta love those blinkable eyes!)
1965 Miss Astronaut
1970 Country Camper
1971 Malibu Barbie
1979 Sport and Shave Ken (with the tagline: Shave him—he’s athletic, he’s all man)
1981 Barbie Dazzle
1982 Horse Lovin’ Ken
1984 Peaches ‘n Cream
1989 Beach Blast Skipper
1990 Barbie and the Beats
1994 Teen Talk Barbie (who notoriously exclaimed, “Math class is tough!”)
1997 Harley-Davidson Barbie
1998 Twist ‘n Turn Barbie
1999 Butterfly Art Barbie (the tattooed member of the Generation Girls line)
2000 Millennium Wedding Barbie
2000 Sophisticated Lady
2002 Gold n Glamour
