"c.1390, from O.Fr. rubarbe, from M.L. rheubarbarum, from Gk. rha barbaronrha "foreign rhubarb", from rha "rhubarb" (associated with Rha, ancient Scythian name of the River Volga) + barbaron, neut. of barbaros "foreign." Grown in China and Tibet, it was imported into ancient Europe by way of Russia. Spelling altered in M.L. by association with rheum. European native species so called from 1650." (etymonline.com)
So it sounds like it's named after where it comes from.
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