Mattel ’s firstBarbiedolldebutedat a New York toy fair on March 9 , 1959 , boast blonde curl and a bleak and white strapless swimwear . As the brand expanded in later years , the publiclearneda figure of other details about the character , including her full name ( Barbara Millicent Roberts , named after the girl of Mattel carbon monoxide - founders Ruth and Elliot Handler ) and her hometown ( the fictional Willows , Wisconsin ) . Her parent areGeorge and Margaret , though they ’ve never been sold in toy form .
And while the original doll wasdescribedas a “ Teen - Age Fashion Model , ” she ’s since had more than 200 other occupations , from U.S. presidential candidate to spaceman to mermaid ( if that consider as an occupation ) . Today ’s Barbie is n’t confined to a single dead body type , hair color , race , or any other place feature , either . The tagline of Greta Gerwig ’s upcoming alive - military action film , Barbie , premiere on July 21 , 2023 , pronounce it well : “ She ’s everything . ”
The cast of the film prognosticate to mull that , with a number of doer impersonate various versions of the lineament . Margot Robbie is the original bird ; Dua Lipa is mermaid Barbie ; Issa Rae is presidential Barbie ; Hari Nef is Dr. Barbie ; Ana Cruz Kayne is judge Barbie ; andso forth .
But not every doll in Mattel ’s Barbie universe is actually a Barbie . In addition to boyfriend Ken , she has a whole horde of siblings and friends who have cycle on and off shelves over the eld . Here are 15 characters you should know .
1. Ken
In 1961 , Barbie introduce her new swain , Ken Carson ( named after the Handlers ’ son , Ken ) . In doll Ken ’s words , per theBarbie media website , “ Barbie and I met in 1961 on the solidifying of our first television commercial message together . It was love at first sight . ” Though Ken has jubilantly have a backseat to his more famous girlfriend for most of their share history , he ’s made headlines on his own at least acouple of times .
In the early 1990s , Mattel polled immature girls for their thoughts on whether Barbie needed a new fire . “ They wanted Barbie to remain with Ken , but wanted Ken to depend a picayune cool , ” a Mattel representative Lisa McKendalltoldjournalist Dan Savage . In 1993 , consumers encounter this cooler version of the character : Earring Magic Ken — the counterpart for Earring Magic Barbie — flaunted an earring ( naturally ) , black jean , and a over-embellished pleather vest over a empurpled mesh crop - top . From a chain around his neck hung an oversized ash gray ring that seem a lot like a certain sex toy especially democratic among brave Man .
While McKendall judge to maintain that the design simply mirror “ what [ little girls ] see their dads , brothers , and uncles wearing ” and that Mattel “ was not in the business enterprise of putting stopcock rings into the hands of piddling girls , ” Savage argue that Earring Magic Ken was an evident reflexion of queen culture . “ Queer Ken is the high water German mark of , depending on your point of view , either queer percolation of democratic culture or the uncaring annexation of queer culture by heterosexual person , ” hewrote . It became thebest - selling Ken dollup to that power point , thanks in large part to the number of queer men who grease one’s palms one . Unfortunately , the controversy surrounding Ken ’s evocative jewellery caused Mattel to discontinue the toy .
Barbie and Ken stayed together until Valentine ’s sidereal day in 2004 , when Mattel ’s vice president of merchandising , Russell Arons , revealedthat the two “ finger it ’s clock time to pass some quality sentence — aside . ” Barbie went on to have a brief relationship with an Australian surfer name Blaine , but her ex in the end succeed in succeed her back in 2011 “ after a series of marvellous gestures that included everything from personalized cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery to billboards professing my sexual love , ” Kensaid .
2. Midge
In 1963 , Mattel debuted Barbie ’s effective friend : a wide - eyed , freckle - face chick named Midge Hadley . The two had the same proportion , so they could easily share clothes . Midge has n’t been around systematically throughout Barbie ’s history , but her reappearances have been memorable [ PDF ] . In 1991 , for example , “ Wedding Day Midge ” married Ken ’s best friend , Alan ( formerly Allan ) Sherwood , whom she ’d been “ dating ” since the 1960s . ( of course , Barbie and Ken were in thewedding party . )
Midge and Alan later became the centre of a “ Happy Family ” bloodline terminated with kids andgrandparents . One 2002 product from the collecting was “ Midge and Baby , ” featuring a fraught Midge whose detachable paunch contained a obliterable babe . Mattelthoughtthe dolls would be “ a wonderful airplane propeller for parent to utilise with their children to role - play family billet — specially in families anticipating the arriver of a raw sibling . ” But some hoi polloi see it other than .
“ There ’s enough teenagers commence pregnant as it is . I think they ’re glamorizing it , and it ’s frightful , ” 43 - year - previous Philadelphian Jackie Ellis told theAssociated Press .
The context of use — that Midge was a married grownup with a 3 - year - old at home — was lose on certain consumer who mat up the toys werepromotingteen gestation . After field a identification number of ailment , Walmart ended up removing not just “ Midge and Baby ” from shelves , but another “ Happy Family ” place comprising Alan , toddler Ryan , and pregnant Midge . ( Which seems to indicate that at least some people were scandalized at the mere notion of a pregnant doll , even in stereotypically “ wholesome ” circumstances . )
Midge ’s next crowing revival issue forth in 2012 , when sheappearedin the vane seriesBarbie : Life in the Dreamhouse . Her tarradiddle electric discharge does n’t have a hubby or any kids , but she does get a makeover that helps her win over her calf love , Ryan .
3. Allan
Allanjoinedthe card in 1964 as both Midge ’s fellow and “ Ken ’s buddy . ” Like Midge and Barbie , Allan and Ken could share wearing apparel . The character’snamesakewas Allan Segal , husband of the Handlers ’ girl , Barbara . Allan did n’t last beyond the mid-’60s , and when he was re-introduce in 1991 , his name had been update to “ Alan . ” ( It ’s unreadable why , but it may be deserving mentioning that Allan and Barbara Segal had gottendivorcedin the meantime . )
4. Skipper
Allan ’s debutcoincidedwith the comer of Barbie ’s little baby : Skipper , habilitate in a red and white bathing costume to complement Barbie ’s black and white one . Like most of Mattel ’s dolly , Skipper has undergone a number of transformations over the years . One edition even germinate before your very eyes : 1975 ’s “ mature Up Skipper ” got tall and grew knocker when you twisted her arm .
“ you’re able to make her change instantly from a little girl to a tall , slender , teenage doll , which is something you ca n’t do , ” thecommercialexplained to vernal daughter . These days , Skipper is oftenportrayedas a technical school - loving adolescent with apurple streakin her grim brown hair .
5. and 6. Tutti and Todd
Barbie ’s family originate once again in 1965 with the arrival of twinsTutti and Todd , who were younger than Skipper and tout waxy appendages . Neither role is still an alive part of the Mattel universe , and Todd ’s two most recent appearances were n’t with Tutti : He was the ring holder in Midge and Alan ’s wedding , alongside flower girl Kelly ; and he and Stacie cosplayed Michael and Jane Banks in a2008Mary Poppinsset .
7. Stacie
Whether Tutti lay off to subsist entirely or just got rename is up to rendition . But if the characterisstill around , she ’s Stacie — not Kelly . fundamentally , in 1992 , Mattel rolled out Barbie and Skipper ’s new small sister , Stacie . Todd ’s pairing with Stacie in 2008 — apparently as Twin — support the theory that Mattel in brief rechristened Tutti as Kelly for Midge and Alan ’s wedding before finally settling on the nameStacieinstead .
It ’s all pretty much moot , because the advanced - day iteration ofStacie — a clean light-haired preteen or unseasoned teen as see to it in the telecasting seriesBarbie Dreamhouse Adventuresand its related content — doesn’t have a duplicate buddy , anyway .
8. Chelsea (née Kelly)
The nameKellydidn’t go to waste after Stacie appear on shelves . In themid-1990s , Mattel introduced Barbie ’s new “ babe sister ” : Kelly , a light-haired toddler whoslept in a criband attendednursery schooling . Though the character still exist today , she ’s slightly older and solvent to “ Chelsea . ” According to a2022 Gawker cryptical dive , Kelly was called “ Shelly ” in outside markets due to trademark rights , and Mattel decided to simplify thing by renaming her “ Chelsea ” everywhere . InBarbie Dreamhouse Adventures , Chelseais a 6 - year - old pigtailed prankster with a very active imagination .
9. Krissy
In thelate ’ 90s , yet another sis arrived on the scene : Krissy , an infant whom Barbie wouldpush aroundin a stroller androck to sleep . Krissy ’s incumbency did n’t last beyond the early aughts , and she ’s not have in the modernistic Barbie programs .
10. Francie
In1966 , Mattel respond to the mod movement withFrancie , “ Barbie ’s ‘ MOD’ern first cousin , ” who , in the words of oneNew Jersey reporter , “ make both Barbie and Midge look like squares . ” Francie gambol flip - out hair , frozen cilium , and all the latest “ kicky ” British trends , from colorfully patterned stocking to white go - go boots . She abide fashion - forward through the closing of her run in 1976 . Mattel alsoreleaseda Black version of Francie in 1967 who made chronicle as the brand ’s first - ever doll of color .
11. P.J.
While Midge was MIA from the previous ’ 60s through the early ’ 80s , neat P.J. occupy the position of Barbie’sbest friend . ( Theearly iterationsof P.J. literally used Midge ’s head mold . ) She was added to theMalibu seriesin the other ’ 70s , and even became anOlympic gymnastin 1975 ( so , of course , did Barbie herself ) . P.J. ’s last coming into court was in 1984 , and Midge tame her slur beside Barbie in 1988 ’s “ California Dream ” collection [ PDF ] .
12. Christie
In 1980 , Matteldebutedits first disastrous doll that was in reality named “ Barbie . ” After that , it became the average for the company to betray both Black and white versions of new Barbie doll . Before then , the Black dolls in Barbie ’s world were typically their own characters ( except for Francie ) . First do Christie , a memorable member of Mattel’s1968 lineof talk wench . Christiesaidthings like “ Should I change my hairdo ? ” and “ I ’d like to be a fashion manikin , ” and shortly started date Brad , Ken ’s first Black protagonist . ( Brad was a talking doll , too ; one of hiscatchphraseswas “ Christie is the greatest ! ” )
For the next few decades , Christie remained an inherent fellow member of Barbie ’s inner rope . She was even part of Barbie ’s girl band , Beyond Pink , which released a 10 - track pop record album — featuring pop firecracker like “ Think Pink , ” “ You Are the Universe , ” and “ The Girl of Today”—in 1998 .
13. Nikki
Another Black bird , Nikki , first appeared as part of Mattel ’s 1997 Teen Skipper billet [ PDF ] . Nikki was intelligibly one ofSkipper ’s peersduring those early long time , and some masses have evenassumedshe was Christie ’s young sister . But Nikki has been shift as one of Barbie ’s BFFs in recent Barbie content — and Christie has been conspicuously absent — so it seems like the two have simply unify into a single theatrical role .
That said , Barbie’schildhood friendin the 2015 escapade filmBarbie & Her Sisters in the Great Puppy Adventurewas named Christie , so it ’s also possible that Christie and Nikki are two unrelated friend of Barbie , and Skipper ’s Nikki just no longer survive . ( Mattel does have a wont of recycling names : Midge ’s daughter was also namedNikki , as was an “ beast Lovin’”dollfrom the ’ 80s . ) InBarbie Dreamhouse Adventures , Nikki is the “ fashionista friend ” who ’s always planning her next originative enterprise .
14. Teresa
Teresa , Barbie’sfirst Latina supporter , originally appeared in two 1988 solicitation , “ California Dream ” and “ Island Fun ” [ PDF ] . She was promptly instal as one of Barbie ’s besties and remains in that category today . In addition to do with Christie and Barbie as Beyond Pink , Teresa has been feature in tons of other multimedia system content , from the 1999 picture bookBarbie High Sea Adventureto the 2008 melodic movieBarbie and the Diamond Castle . InBarbie Dreamhouse Adventures , Teresais a bilingual “ technical taskmaster ” who geeks out on all thing STEM .
15. Kira
Kira , an Asiatic American doll , was introduced in 1990 ’s “ Wet N ’ Wild ” tune and became a ’ 90s lynchpin alongside Christie and Teresa . She rollerbladed , she played in the WNBAandtheFIFA Women ’s World Cup , and she spent a great deal of time at various beaches [ PDF ] . She also complete a very important space mission with Barbie in the 1998 bookBarbie Shooting for the Stars .
