Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. Barbie was named after Ruth Handler's daughter, Barbara, and
Kenneth Sean "Ken" Carson is a fashion doll introduced by American toy company Mattel in 1961 as the counterpart of Barbie, who was introduced two years earlier.
According to the 1960s Random House books, Ken's full name is Kenneth Sean Carson. In Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures, he is one of Barbie's best friends and next-door neighbor. Barbara "Brooklyn Barbie" Millicent Roberts (2021–present): A black friend of Barbie who shares the same name as her.
Calculating Barbie's age from her manufacturing debut, the first Barbie doll is now over 64 years old. Considering that Barbie was created as a 19-year-old doll, she could technically be up to 83 years old. However, in the past, Mattel has reportedly said that Barbie is frozen in time at age 19.
But the real-life Barbie and Ken were never a couple. The plastic dolls were actually named for a sister and brother – the children of Mattel cofounder and Barbie creator Ruth Handler.
In the nineties and the early part of the first millennial decade, Barbie had a toddler sister named Kelly. She looked like the doll on the left, only blonde and blue-eyed. Fast-forward to the current year, and Kelly is gone. She's morphed into a little girl named Chelsea (right).
Barbie and Ken felt it was “time to spend some quality time apart” with Arons hinting that Ken's reluctance to put a ring on it may have played a part in their breakup. Still, the two swore the breakup was amicable and they would remain friends.
In March 1959, a doll named "Barbie" launched onto the American toy market, sporting a black-and-white striped bathing suit, pouty red lips and a sassy blonde ponytail. The leggy, 11-inch plastic figure—full name: Barbara Millicent Roberts—was the first mass-produced toy doll in the U.S. with adult features.
The Chelsea doll is Barbie's younger sister and was launched in 2011. At age seven, she's meant to be the youngest sister of the Barbie family and was designed specifically for younger children. The Chelsea doll line also includes a doll in a wheelchair.
Barbie, formally known as “Barbara Millicent Roberts,” was born in 1959, which would technically make her 63 years old — except for the small fact that she was born as a 19-year-old. Yep, that's right: The first ever Barbie was officially 19 years old, which would make her age closer to 82-83 years old.
Skipper gained two new friends after Teen Fun Skipper was first introduced. They included the reddish haired friend Courtney, made in 1989, and her second boyfriend Kevin, created in 1990.
1968: Christie
The Christie doll is widely considered the first true African American doll in the Barbie line. She was introduced in the midst of the civil rights movement, when critics chided Mattel for failing to represent the diversity in America.
Ken Carson is a character who was introduced in 1961 as Barbie's boyfriend. He was created by Ruth Handler, and he probably named Ken after her son Kenneth Handler.
This dollhouse wasn't the typical pink, plastic dream house made by Mattel, but a more traditional looking house that was "Barbie-sized." Among the rooms was a nursery for a Barbie baby, which posed a problem: Barbie is technically not married and, technically, she can never have a baby.
Appearance and Personality
Skipper is a 14-year-old technology wiz. Her age was confirmed in the Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures episode "Baby Sister Babysitter." She has naturally dark brown hair. Her hair often has purple, pink, or blue streaks. In Barbie's Vlog, Barbie says it was Skipper's idea.
Since Chelsea is six, from Happy Birthday Chelsea, Stacie is ten years old. In some animated pictures of Stacie, she wears braces.
Chelsea Roberts is Barbie's youngest sister. She was originally named Kelly, but she was known as Shelly in Europe. She was renamed Chelsea in 2010 so that she could be known worldwide by one name.
Scott (1979) Skipper's boyfriend. Kevin (1990–1995) Skipper's cool teen boyfriend.
Margaret Roberts is Barbie's mom.
She comes from a large family.
Barbie has seven siblings. Skipper was introduced in 1964, twins Todd and Tutti were around from 1965 to 1971, Stacie hit shelves in 1990, Kelly was sold from 1994 to 2010 and Chelsea was introduced in 2011 as a replacement for Kelly.
For Barbie, that time was the '70s, and since then, the brand's association with pink has become as important to its identity as anything. "When we think of brands, it's always the visuals that first come to our mind," says Moir.
Upon release, Blaine dolls were widely popular and the Australian remained the main man in Barbie's life for two years, before Ken slowly returned to shelves (and popularity — well, as popular as a Ken can be) in the years following 2006.
In 1963, fans of Mattel's immensely popular fashion doll, Barbie, were introduced to her auburn-haired best friend, Midge. Dressed in her favorite two-piece bathing suit with chartreuse top and orange bottoms, Midge looks ready for a fun-filled day at the beach!
The Barbie Movie Doesn't Have A Kiss Between Barbie & Ken!