Barney Stinson

Barnabus Stinson is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother and portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris (2005-2014). Barney, a main character on the show, is known for his brash, manipulative, and opinionated personality. He's a womanizer who enjoys expensive suits, laser tag, and Scotch whisky. The character employs numerous 'plays' from his 'playbook' to facilitate sex with women. In later seasons, he has a few serious relationships, then marries, divorces have a child from a one-night stand with an unnamed woman, and then marries the same woman again.

Critics have praised the character and attributed much of the show's success to Harris' performance. Barney is widely regarded as the show's breakout character. Harris was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work as Barney from 2007 to 2010.