Ruth Handler's children resented the dolls named after them and didn't buy any for their own children.
The plastic dolls were actually named for a sister and brother – the children of Mattel cofounder and Barbie creator Ruth Handler.
"If people did find out, she'd tell them in no uncertain terms that she was not the Barbie doll."
Barbara, meanwhile, said: "I'm tired of being Barbie doll."
Timm Schamberger/DDP/AFP via Getty ImagesHandler also named dolls for her children's partners and their children, including Allan, named for her son-in-law.
Persons:
Barbie, Ken, Ruth Handler's, They've, Greta Gerwig's, –, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling –, Ruth Handler, Frederic Neema, Handler, Babs, Barbara, Barbara Millicent Roberts, Ruth, Jens, Ulrich Koch, Stache, Cyrus McCrimmon, Lobel, Blaine, Mel Melcon, Mattel Barbara, Elliott Handler, Bettmann, Barbara Handler, Handler's, Barbies . Bork, bimbo, Timm Schamberger, Allan, hadn't
Organizations:
Service, Mattel, Getty, Los Angeles Times, Hulton, Valentine's, Express, DDP, Getty Images, Denver, Fair
Locations:
Wall, Silicon, Europe, AFP, Nuremberg, Germany