Whose invention was Barbie?
Quick Answer
Barbie was created by Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, and launched at the American International Toy Fair in New York on 9 March 1959.
The Full Story
Handler noticed that her daughter Barbara liked to play with paper dolls of adult women, while most dolls of the time were babies. She was also inspired by Bild Lilli, a German fashion doll she saw on a trip to Europe. Barbie was named after Barbara, and Ken, introduced in 1961, was named after her son Kenneth. The doll’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, from the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin. About 350,000 Barbies were sold in the first year, and the 2023 film Barbie earned more than 1.4 billion dollars worldwide.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The Mother of Barbie — Ruth Handler’s Big Idea"
Was this answer helpful?
Tap a reaction — it helps us pick what to cover next.