“Barbarian” comes to us from Latin via the same Greek root (Barbaros, meaning “foreign, strange, ignorant”) as the name “Barbara.”    Well, the stem of the Greek Barbaros is “barbar.”   “Barbar” echoed the perceived sound of foreign languages.  The Greeks thought everything the foreign, uncultured people (barbarians) said sounded like “barbarbarbarbarbarbarbar.” 

The foreigners sound more like alcoholics to me.  Bar bar bar bar

Or maybe they sound like Pokemon(s) who keep repeating their names.

Also, I keep thinking of Babar the Elephant.  But I shouldn’t be.