who invented barbie

The Barbie doll was invented by American businesswoman Ruth Handler. She created Barbie in 1959, inspired by observing her daughter Barbara playing with paper dolls and wanting to create a three-dimensional adult-bodied doll for children. Ruth Handler co-founded the toy company Mattel, which manufactured Barbie, and the doll was named after her daughter Barbara. The first Barbie doll debuted at the American International Toy Fair in New York City on March 9, 1959.