The two branches of the Barakzai dynasty (Translation of Barakzai: sons of Barak) ruled Afghanistan from 1826 to 1973 when the monarchy finally ended under Mohammad Zahir Shah. The Barakzai dynasty was established by Dost Mohammad Khan after the Durrani dynasty of Ahmad Shah Durrani was removed from power. During this era, Afghanistan saw much of its territory lost to the British in the south and east, Persia in the west, and Russia in the north. There were also many conflicts within Afghanistan, including the three major Anglo-Afghan Wars and the 1929 civil war.

Bārakzai (Pashto: بارکزی barakzay, plur. BĀRAKZĪ; Urdu: برکزئی) is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan and Pakistan, meaning "son of Barak" in the Pashto language. Barakzai may also be the name of a Baloch tribe in Iran. There are seven distinct Pashtun tribes named Barakzai, with the Zīrak branch of the Abdal Tareen, Bor Tareen, Tareen. The Durrani is being the most important and largest tribe with over 4 million people.

Bārakzai (Pashto: بارکزی barakzay, plur. BĀRAKZĪ; Urdu: برکزئی) is the name of a Pashtun (Pathan) tribe from present day Afghanistan and Pakistan and the Baluch of south-eastern Iran (in the region of Bampur).

Barakzai (translation: sons of Barak) is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means ("sons of Barak" in Pashto). Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan. There are seven distinct Pashtun tribes named Bārakzai, with the Zīrak branch of the Abdal Tareen or Bor Tareen - Tareen - Durrani tribe being the most important and largest tribe with over 4 million people.

Another source prevails the unfolded truth of the Barakzai in which the name Barak (English pronunciation: /ˈbɛəræk/ or /ˈbɛərək/;Hebrew: בָּרָק‎‎, Tiberian: Bārāq, "Lightning; Shine", Greek: βαρακ),, Al-Burāq (Arabic: البُراق‎ al-Burāq "lightning") might have been derived. Barak was the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, was a military general in the Book of Judges in the Bible. He was the commander of the army of Deborah, the prophetess and heroine of the Hebrew Bible. Barak and Deborah are credited with defeating the Canaanite armies led by Sisera, who for twenty years had oppressed the Israelites.