Darling
Darling was the 3301st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 47 babies. Its best year was 1948, when it ranked 3002nd; the most babies were born in 2024 (47). Over the last ten years it has moved up 2,577 places. More babies were named Darling in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings
- Rank in 2025
- #3,301 girls, up 729 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 47girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 202447 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,060babies recorded
Darling popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 15 since 1932.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,301 | 47 |
| 2020 | #4,030 | 35 |
| 2010 | #7,293 | 17 |
| 2000 | #7,687 | 13 |
| 1990 | #6,553 | 13 |
| 1980 | #8,356 | 7 |
| 1970 | #7,257 | 6 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | #4,055 | 7 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Darling, counting every spelling?
Darling is the most common spelling of a name family that had 47 girls in 2025 across its spellings. Together these spellings went to 47 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darling | 47 | #3,301 | 177 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Darling?
47 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Darling (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Darling born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 179 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Darling.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Darling?
About 1,000 people born in the US named Darling are alive today, with a median age of 19; half are between 8 and 38. That makes Darling mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Darling by state
How common Darling was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 47 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Darling: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Darling, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Darling
How popular is the name Darling?
Darling was the 3301st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 47 babies. Its best year was 1948, when it ranked 3002nd; the most babies were born in 2024 (47). Over the last ten years it has moved up 2,577 places. More babies were named Darling in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Darling a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Darling in the US.
Where is Darling most popular?
In 2021–2025, Darling was most common in Texas (0.03 per 1,000 girls), followed by California and New York.