Barbapapa himself occurs as usually pear-shaped, pinkish shapeshifting blob-like animal globe health organization stumbles upon a man world & effort to accord. When various amusing risky venture, he comes through the female of his mintage (further shapely, & black-coloured), known as Barbamama. It create septenary tykes, called the Barbababies, from each one a different colour:

Barbazoo, yellowness, male, lover of animals Barbalala, green, female, lover of music Barbalib, orange, female, lover of books Barbabeau, black & furred, male, lover of art Barbabelle, purple, female, lover of beauty Barbabright, blue, male, lover of science Barbabravo, red, male, lover of nature & severity and heroism

A characters' title occurs as wordplay in barbe à pa, French for cotton candy.