Darrell
Darrell was the 1691st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 97 babies. Its best year was 1967, when it ranked 86th; the most babies were born in 1958 (4,771). Over the last ten years it has moved down 756 places. More babies were named Darrell in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Meaning from d'Airel (Norman place name) · French
Say it DAIR-ul /ˈdɛɹəl/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,691 boys, down 436 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 97boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19584,771 babies
- Total since 1880
- 160,952babies recorded
What does the name Darrell mean?
Darrell comes from d'Airel, the name of a Norman family from a place called Airelle in Calvados, Normandy, as Wiktionary notes. It was transferred from the surname to a first name in the 19th century and was common in the US in the mid-20th century. The meaning of the French place name is not documented.
d'Airel (Norman French, “from Airelle”)
How sure is this? Well established. The place name's own meaning is unknown.
Related names: Darryl, Daryl, Darel.
See also: French names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Darrell', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (our computation), SSA (public domain)
Darrell popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 1,186 since 1916.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,691 | 97 |
| 2020 | #1,255 | 147 |
| 2010 | #747 | 304 |
| 2000 | #470 | 499 |
| 1990 | #246 | 1,128 |
| 1980 | #168 | 1,461 |
| 1970 | #102 | 3,148 |
| 1960 | #104 | 4,148 |
| 1950 | #116 | 2,493 |
| 1940 | #131 | 1,430 |
| 1930 | #173 | 828 |
| 1920 | #298 | 359 |
| 1910 | #526 | 29 |
| 1900 | #919 | 9 |
| 1890 | #1,038 | 5 |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Darrell, counting every spelling?
Darrell is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #631 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,691 for Darrell on its own. Together these spellings went to 435 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darrell | 97 | #1,691 | 588 |
| Darryl | 69 | #2,115 | 455 |
| Daryl | 113 | #1,529 | 435 |
| Darell | 87 | #1,828 | 355 |
| Darrel | 17 | #5,435 | 110 |
| Darel | 52 | #2,542 | 103 |
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 Darrell?
97 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Darrell (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Darrell 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 86 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Darrell.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Darrell?
About 110,100 people born in the US named Darrell are alive today, with a median age of 60; half are between 47 and 69. That makes Darrell a name most people associate with older generations.
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.
Darrell by state
How common Darrell was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in North Carolina (1.7×). In 32 states fewer than five boys 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 Darrell: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Darrell, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Darrell · Sibling names for Darrell
Questions about the name Darrell
What does Darrell mean?
Darrell means “from d'Airel (Norman place name)” (French origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Darrell?
Darrell was the 1691st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 97 babies. Its best year was 1967, when it ranked 86th; the most babies were born in 1958 (4,771). Over the last ten years it has moved down 756 places. More babies were named Darrell in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Is Darrell a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Darrell in the US.
Where is Darrell most popular?
In 2021–2025, Darrell was most common in Louisiana (0.16 per 1,000 boys), followed by North Carolina and Indiana.